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: bore · swing · hand · safe · wave · coach · fan · pitcher

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — help
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bore — to drill
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hand — in cards
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — music
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. 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