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: swing · snap · racket · hand · saw · rule · net · tube

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. hand — in cards
  5. rule — a law
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rule — government
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. net — after costs
  13. hand — help
  14. net — for catching
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. swing — music
  19. net — in sport
  20. tube — a container
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. saw — the tool
  24. snap — to click

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