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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. swing — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. swing — to play on
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. scale — in music
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. swing — in golf
  11. present — a gift
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pop — music
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. club — a group
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. club — for golf
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. present — there

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