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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. chest — a box
  2. suit — to fit
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cap — of ice
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. chest — of your body
  12. swing — in golf
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bass — low music
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — in cards
  18. swing — to play on
  19. foot — a measure
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — a lid
  23. sharp — clever
  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