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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. court — of law
  3. swing — music
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. swing — in golf
  7. tear — from crying
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. capital — money
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a song
  12. court — for sport
  13. track — a path
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. track — to keep track
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. court — of a king
  22. capital — a city
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. swing — to play on

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