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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. chest — a box
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fall — the season
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bound — certain
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. chest — of your body

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