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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · craft · cap · racket · kid · dip

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. cap — a hat
  4. kid — child
  5. swing — in golf
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cap — a lid
  8. kid — to tease
  9. craft — boats
  10. swing — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cap — of ice
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. swing — to play on

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