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: can · temple · mark · racket · cold · swing · leaves · club

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — to be able to
  4. club — for dancing
  5. cold — not warm
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. club — a group
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. can — a tin
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mark — a grade
  14. swing — music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. club — for golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — in golf
  24. leaves — to go away

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