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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. roll — a list
  5. stock — shares
  6. swing — to play on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kid — child
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stock — goods
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — to tease
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. swing — music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pass — a permit

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