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: band · dip · fall · swing · bowl · kick · saw · stick

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. fall — to drop
  3. swing — to play on
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. saw — the tool
  9. swing — in golf
  10. band — a ring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. kick — in football
  16. swing — music
  17. fall — the season
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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