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 116 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. swing — to play on
  4. staff — employees
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. can — a tin
  7. object — to protest
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. can — to be able to
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. swing — music
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — in golf
  18. march — music
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. march — the month
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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