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: bowl · bass · branch · bore · swing · fork · suit · hand

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. hand — help
  3. bass — low music
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. swing — music
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. branch — a division
  11. hand — in cards
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bore — to drill
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bass — the fish
  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