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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. roll — a list
  6. pop — soda
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pop — to visit
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rule — a law
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pop — music
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. key — in music
  23. date — the fruit
  24. roll — a cake

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