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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. field — a subject
  3. bass — the fish
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. kick — in football
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. swing — in golf
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — for sport
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kick — with a leg

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