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: swing · wake · racket · deal · object · rush · face · pitch

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. object — an aim
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rush — hurry
  9. swing — music
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — in golf
  14. object — to protest
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. object — a thing
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wake — a trail
  20. face — to confront
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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