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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. club — a group
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. club — for dancing
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. drill — army training
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. date — the fruit
  12. club — for golf
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. swing — music
  17. drill — a practice
  18. kick — in football
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. swing — in golf
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. drill — the tool

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