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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. swing — music
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rest — a break
  5. track — a song
  6. club — for golf
  7. march — the month
  8. track — a path
  9. swing — to play on
  10. press — to push
  11. rest — what's left
  12. swing — in golf
  13. can — a tin
  14. club — a group
  15. can — a tin
  16. rest — what's left
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — a publisher
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. can — to be able to
  24. track — to keep track

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