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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. swing — in golf
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fall — the season
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — of a river
  22. fall — to drop
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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