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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. firm — steady
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. swing — music
  6. craft — boats
  7. last — finally
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bass — low music
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. craft — a skill
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bass — the fish
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — thin
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bass — the instrument

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