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 · date · net · craft · pit · track · mug · cell

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. track — to keep track
  4. mug — a cup
  5. swing — to play on
  6. net — after costs
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. track — a song
  9. cell — in biology
  10. net — for catching
  11. mug — a face
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. craft — boats
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pit — in a race
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. track — a path
  22. date — the fruit
  23. swing — music
  24. cell — in a prison

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