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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. swing — to play on
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a cake
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. chest — a box
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chest — of your body
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. sharp — clever
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. roll — a list
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chest — of your body
  24. suit — in cards

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