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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. hand — help
  10. swing — music
  11. hand — in cards
  12. charge — a price
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. charge — electricity
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. scale — in music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bear — to put up with

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