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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hand — help
  3. object — to protest
  4. can — a tin
  5. roll — a list
  6. ground — a position
  7. object — an aim
  8. can — to be able to
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ground — the earth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. swing — to play on
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bulb — for light
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — crushed
  19. swing — music
  20. hand — in cards
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bulb — for light
  23. roll — a cake
  24. object — a thing

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