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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. branch — a division
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. tube — the underground
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — of water
  8. rock — a stone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. current — electric
  12. swing — in golf
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. scale — size or range
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rock — music
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. swing — music
  23. tube — a container
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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