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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. swing — music
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rock — a stone
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cell — in biology
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. squash — the sport
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. rock — music
  18. tube — a container
  19. snap — to click
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cell — a phone
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. tube — the underground
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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