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: spring · swing · present · pitcher · coach · cue · bat · suit

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. present — the time now
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bat — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. suit — clothes
  9. present — there
  10. swing — music
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. spring — of water
  13. swing — in golf
  14. present — a gift
  15. swing — to play on
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. spring — a coil
  20. cue — a signal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cue — for pool

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