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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bass — the fish
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. race — humankind
  10. swing — to play on
  11. hand — help
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. branch — a division
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. race — the arms race
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. race — a contest
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wax — to grow
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. bass — low music
  24. hand — in cards

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