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 116 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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. swing — in golf
  3. current — of water
  4. swing — music
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. current — electric
  7. track — a path
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — completely
  17. track — a song
  18. current — happening now
  19. swing — to play on
  20. branch — a division
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. field — a subject

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