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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. present — there
  4. present — the time now
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ball — a great time
  8. tube — the underground
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. swing — music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. swing — to play on
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. present — a gift
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. tube — a container
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. swing — in golf
  24. suit — to fit

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