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: mouse · pop · spring · hide · craft · rush · pitch · swing

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. swing — to play on
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pop — soda
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pop — music
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. spring — the season
  13. swing — in golf
  14. spring — of water
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. craft — boats
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pop — to visit
  24. swing — music

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