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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. band — a ring
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chair — a leader
  14. swing — music
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. present — a gift
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. band — a music group
  20. present — there
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. present — the time now

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