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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. row — to paddle
  3. club — a group
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a line
  6. club — for dancing
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bulb — for light
  9. swing — music
  10. lean — thin
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rest — a break
  15. bass — low music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pit — in a race
  22. rest — what's left
  23. swing — in golf
  24. club — for golf

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