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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitch — completely
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. scale — size or range
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. foot — a measure
  13. drill — army training
  14. scale — in music
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bank — of a river
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. swing — music
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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