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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. rock — a stone
  3. file — a document
  4. fall — the season
  5. file — a tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. rock — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. tube — a container
  13. mark — a grade
  14. face — to confront
  15. swing — music
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. tube — the underground
  20. fall — to drop
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. file — a line of people
  23. face — to point toward
  24. face — part of the head

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