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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. branch — a division
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. swing — music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. swing — in golf
  11. kid — to tease
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wax — to grow
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rush — hurry
  16. toast — bread
  17. pop — to visit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pop — soda
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — to play on
  22. kid — child
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. branch — of a tree

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