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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  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. pound — for dogs
  3. swing — to play on
  4. firm — decided
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. root — the cause
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. wax — to grow
  12. toast — bread
  13. dip — to sink
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. root — of a word
  16. firm — steady
  17. root — of a plant
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pound — a weight
  20. firm — a company
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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