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 120 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 · pitcher · racket · tube · ball · file · hide · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. tube — the underground
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. ball — a dance
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. file — a line of people
  16. tube — a container
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. swing — to play on
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. swing — music
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. swing — in golf
  24. hide — animal skin

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