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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kid — to tease
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mug — to rob
  6. board — a committee
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. mug — a face
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. board — to get on
  16. swing — to play on
  17. kid — child
  18. bank — of a river
  19. swing — music
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. swing — in golf

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