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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wax — to grow
  3. branch — a division
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — a container
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. swing — in golf
  8. stand — to bear
  9. last — to go on
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bound — certain
  14. bank — for money
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bank — of a river
  18. last — finally
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. swing — to play on
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. tube — the underground
  24. last — final

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