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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. firm — a company
  5. suit — clothes
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. swing — to play on
  8. field — for sport
  9. mug — a cup
  10. field — farmland
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. game — wild animals
  13. branch — a division
  14. firm — decided
  15. field — a subject
  16. bulb — for light
  17. firm — steady
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — a match
  20. mug — a face
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. swing — music

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