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: mug · pitcher · stick · cap · racket · mate · stock · swing

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mug — a face
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stock — goods
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mate — a partner
  17. swing — music
  18. mate — to breed
  19. cap — a hat
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mug — a cup
  24. swing — to play on

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