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 124 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — for golf
  3. swing — music
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. hand — in cards
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. swing — in golf
  11. tear — from crying
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fine — all right
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. stand — to bear
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. tear — to rip
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. tear — from crying
  21. hand — help
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wake — a trail
  24. fine — high quality

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