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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. ground — the earth
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ground — a position
  10. mark — a trace
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. scale — in music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ground — crushed
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. scale — size or range
  22. face — part of the head
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. swing — in golf

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