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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rash — a series
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rash — hasty
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rest — a break
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. swing — in 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