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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chair — a leader
  7. club — for golf
  8. tube — the underground
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. swing — to play on
  12. club — a group
  13. band — a music group
  14. tube — a container
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. band — a ring
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. suit — clothes
  20. pit — in a race
  21. branch — a division
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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