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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. chip — to eat
  4. branch — a division
  5. swing — to play on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bound — tied together
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. swing — in golf
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fall — the season
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fall — to drop
  17. charge — electricity
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bound — certain
  21. charge — in control
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. charge — a price
  24. branch — of a tree

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