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 · ball · lean · season · racket · can · fan · bat

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bat — the animal
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. season — of the year
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. season — in sport
  16. lean — thin
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. lean — to bend
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. fan — a supporter

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