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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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. rest — what's left
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. swing — in golf
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. march — the month
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. march — music
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. rest — a break
  23. swing — to play on
  24. prune — to trim

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