ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. suit — clothes
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. swing — music
  5. row — a line
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. rash — a series
  8. swing — to play on
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. rash — hasty
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. prune — to trim
  20. kid — to tease
  21. prune — to trim
  22. deal — to handle
  23. row — to paddle
  24. kid — child

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com