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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. swing — to play on
  6. field — farmland
  7. swing — in golf
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. field — a subject
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bore — to drill
  13. snap — to click
  14. fine — all right
  15. clip — a video
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. field — for sport
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mark — a trace
  22. board — to get on
  23. clip — to cut
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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