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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. march — the month
  3. swing — music
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. face — to confront
  11. club — a group
  12. march — the month
  13. club — for golf
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. march — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stem — to come from
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. face — part of the head

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