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

Word bank: swing · club · court · stick · band · trunk

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. court — of law
  3. swing — in golf
  4. band — a music group
  5. swing — music
  6. band — a ring
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. club — for golf
  11. court — of a king
  12. club — for dancing
  13. swing — to play on
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. court — for sport
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. trunk — of a car

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