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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rest — a break
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. present — the time now
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. clip — to cut
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ball — a great time
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. present — a gift
  21. swing — in golf
  22. branch — a division
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. present — there

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