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 116 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rest — what's left
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fork — in a road
  7. saw — the tool
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. spring — a coil
  12. can — to be able to
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lean — to bend
  15. spring — of water
  16. can — a tin
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. saw — the tool
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. spring — the season
  23. lean — thin
  24. rest — what's left

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