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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — music
  4. current — happening now
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. club — for golf
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. root — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — thin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lean — to bend
  16. root — of a word
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. root — the cause
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. club — for dancing
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lean — to rest against

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