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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. swing — in golf
  4. hand — help
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. swing — music
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. can — to be able to
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. swing — to play on
  15. land — a country
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stand — to bear
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — ground

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