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: trunk · swing · pitcher · foot · ground · current · saw · nail

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ground — crushed
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ground — the earth
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — of water
  10. swing — music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. current — electric
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. foot — a measure
  17. saw — the tool
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. ground — a position
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. current — happening now
  23. swing — to play on
  24. saw — the tool

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