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 · leaves · mug · prune · saw · tube · row · mate

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mate — a friend
  3. row — to paddle
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mug — a cup
  9. swing — to play on
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. mate — to breed
  12. tube — the underground
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. swing — music
  17. mug — a face
  18. row — a line
  19. saw — the tool
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. tube — a container
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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