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 124 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pass — a permit
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. court — of law
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. court — for sport
  13. swing — to play on
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. court — of a king
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. kid — child
  20. wax — to grow
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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