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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pop — soda
  3. swing — to play on
  4. clip — a video
  5. pop — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a grade
  8. swing — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. club — a group
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. can — to be able to
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mark — a trace
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. clip — to cut
  17. club — for golf
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. swing — in golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — for paper
  24. mark — to pay attention

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