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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rest — a break
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wind — moving air
  7. scale — in music
  8. spring — a coil
  9. swing — to play on
  10. spring — the season
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. mug — a face
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rest — what's left
  16. present — a gift
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. present — there
  19. mug — a cup
  20. present — the time now
  21. rest — what's left
  22. toast — bread
  23. spring — of water
  24. scale — size or range

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