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 · stand · object · kid · mug · mark · stick · chest

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. object — a thing
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mug — to rob
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. chest — of your body
  9. chest — a box
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. object — an aim
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — to protest
  14. mark — a trace
  15. swing — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. swing — to play on
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. swing — in golf
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mug — a face
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chest — of your body

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