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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. swing — in golf
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. can — to be able to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. can — a tin
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pound — a weight
  21. can — a tin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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