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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bass — low music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. key — in music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — the most important part
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — a sick person

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