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 120 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: stick · ground · saw · capital · craft · deal · fine · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. capital — a city
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fine — high quality
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ground — crushed
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. capital — money
  17. fine — all right
  18. craft — boats
  19. ground — a position
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. saw — the tool
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ground — the earth
  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