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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. mine — for digging
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — in cards
  13. face — to confront
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. face — part of the head
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. swing — music
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mark — a grade

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