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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lie — to recline
  3. clip — to cut
  4. ground — a position
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — to bear
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ground — crushed
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — a committee
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bore — to drill
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bore — to tire
  16. swing — music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. swing — to play on
  22. board — to get on
  23. clip — a video
  24. board — a flat piece

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