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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rock — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. swing — music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — goods
  11. rule — government
  12. band — a music group
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bear — the animal
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. wake — a trail
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stock — shares
  22. rule — a law
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rule — to rule out

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