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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. chest — a box
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. clip — a video
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. key — the most important part
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. clip — to cut
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bass — low music
  16. key — in music
  17. chest — of your body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chest — of your body
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. clip — for paper
  23. perch — the fish
  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