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: ball · kid · drill · bank · pass · swing · clip · board

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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. clip — a video
  4. swing — in golf
  5. drill — army training
  6. swing — music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. clip — to cut
  16. kid — child
  17. bank — for money
  18. clip — for paper
  19. kid — to tease
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. board — to get on
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. ball — a great time
  24. board — a committee

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