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 120 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. cap — a hat
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. degree — from a university
  5. bound — tied together
  6. tube — the underground
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bound — obliged
  9. cap — of ice
  10. degree — an amount
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. degree — temperature
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. swing — music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bound — certain
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. vault — a safe
  22. cap — a lid
  23. tube — a container
  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