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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. kid — to tease
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. net — after costs
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. bulb — for light
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bass — the fish
  12. kid — child
  13. swing — music
  14. stem — to come from
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. bass — low music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. branch — a division
  20. charge — a price
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bulb — for light
  24. branch — of a tree

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