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: swing · root · capital · rock · snap · racket · can · wound

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. root — the cause
  4. capital — money
  5. root — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rock — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — music
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rock — a stone
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wound — an injury
  16. snap — to click
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — of a word
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — a tin
  23. capital — a city
  24. can — a tin

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