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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. swing — to play on
  13. tube — the underground
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. swing — music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. swing — in golf
  19. squash — to crush
  20. tube — a container
  21. squash — the sport
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. bat — the animal
  24. ball — a great time

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