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: cabinet · bank · pitch · court · swing · chest · can · temple

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. court — of a king
  4. chest — of your body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. can — a tin
  13. court — of law
  14. pitch — completely
  15. swing — music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. court — for sport
  18. chest — of your body
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chest — a box
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pitch — a sports field

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