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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spring — of water
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — to paddle
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. suit — to fit
  11. club — for dancing
  12. can — a tin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. swing — in golf
  15. spring — the season
  16. kick — in football
  17. club — for golf
  18. row — a line
  19. swing — to play on
  20. spring — a coil
  21. club — a group
  22. swing — music
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — in cards

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