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: kick · swing · deal · squash · temple · game · foot · prune

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. swing — music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. foot — a measure
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. prune — to trim
  11. squash — the sport
  12. game — wild animals
  13. swing — to play on
  14. game — a match
  15. deal — to handle
  16. kick — in football
  17. prune — to trim
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. squash — to crush
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. game — a kind of play

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