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 116 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: kick · court · mine · suit · swing · dip · wake · pitcher

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. dip — to sink
  4. court — of law
  5. mine — for digging
  6. swing — music
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. court — of a king
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. swing — in golf
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. wake — a trail
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. kick — in football
  21. suit — to fit
  22. court — for sport
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pitcher — a jug

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