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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. swing — in golf
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. present — the time now
  6. swing — to play on
  7. present — there
  8. season — of the year
  9. swing — music
  10. rash — hasty
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rash — a series
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. object — an aim
  24. straw — dry grass

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