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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. field — farmland
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. spell — letters
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. field — for sport
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. foot — a measure
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. swing — in golf
  12. drill — army training
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — magic
  17. field — a subject
  18. drill — a practice
  19. stock — goods
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. drill — the tool
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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