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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. kick — in football
  9. plane — a tool
  10. kid — to tease
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. hand — in cards
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. kid — child
  17. swing — music
  18. hand — help
  19. vault — a safe
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. snap — to click
  24. plane — an aircraft

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