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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. track — a song
  4. wound — an injury
  5. land — to come down
  6. swing — music
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. land — a country
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. band — a music group
  11. track — a path
  12. band — a ring
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. land — ground
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. swing — in golf
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. track — to keep track
  24. leaves — lets stay

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