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: pitcher · swing · pass · deal · object · squash · court · patient

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. patient — a sick person
  3. object — a thing
  4. pass — a permit
  5. court — of law
  6. object — an aim
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of a king
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — to crush
  15. swing — to play on
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — to protest
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  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