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: foot · can · fine · kid · track · swing · sharp · ball

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. track — a path
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. swing — music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fine — all right
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. track — a song
  13. track — to keep track
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — in golf
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ball — a dance

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