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: mine · suit · can · lash · swing · kid · march · wind

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. swing — in golf
  7. march — the month
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. march — music
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. swing — music
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wind — moving air
  15. can — a tin
  16. suit — to fit
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kid — child
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wind — moving air

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