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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. object — to protest
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — music
  6. land — ground
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rash — a series
  9. swing — to play on
  10. object — an aim
  11. rash — hasty
  12. drill — a practice
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bulb — for light
  18. drill — army training
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. land — to come down
  21. rock — music
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. object — a thing
  24. drill — the tool

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