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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. swing — music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. date — the fruit
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pound — a weight
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. foot — a measure
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rest — a break
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. date — on the calendar

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