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: tube · temple · current · swing · pitch · stock · bat · track

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. swing — music
  3. track — a path
  4. swing — to play on
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. tube — a container
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — of water
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stock — shares
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pitch — completely
  21. stock — goods
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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