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: snap · mug · club · pass · swing · prune · coach · bat

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pass — a permit
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. club — for golf
  11. bat — the animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. swing — music

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