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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. swing — in golf
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — music
  7. wax — to grow
  8. season — of the year
  9. fine — high quality
  10. suit — in cards
  11. swing — to play on
  12. season — in sport
  13. game — a match
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. game — wild animals
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fine — all right
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wax — for sculpting

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