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: coach · shower · suit · kick · swing · trunk · wound · content

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. shower — rain
  3. suit — to fit
  4. shower — to wash
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. content — the amount
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wound — an injury
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wound — an injury
  18. swing — in golf
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. swing — music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. content — happy

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