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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. prune — to trim
  5. swing — in golf
  6. saw — the tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mate — a partner
  11. field — for sport
  12. prune — to trim
  13. root — of a plant
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mate — a friend
  18. swing — to play on
  19. field — a subject
  20. root — the cause
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mate — to breed
  23. field — farmland
  24. root — of a word

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