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: mug · swing · nail · drill · craft · content · charge · tear

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mug — to rob
  3. swing — music
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. mug — a cup
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. drill — the tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mug — a face
  14. drill — army training
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. tear — from crying
  20. swing — to play on
  21. drill — a practice
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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