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: swing · row · clip · current · cap · date · ball · calf

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. current — electric
  3. cap — a lid
  4. clip — a video
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. clip — for paper
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. current — happening now
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cap — of ice
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cap — a hat
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. swing — to play on
  23. current — of water
  24. clip — to cut

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