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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chest — of your body
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — music
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. foot — a measure
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chest — a box
  12. swing — in golf
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chest — of your body
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. swing — to play on

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