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

Word bank: clip · mug · pass · ball · stock · swing

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. clip — to cut
  3. mug — a cup
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stock — goods
  8. swing — to play on
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stock — shares
  11. clip — a video
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ball — a dance
  14. swing — music
  15. mug — a face
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pass — to succeed

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