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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. drill — army training
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. swing — music
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. hand — in cards
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. swing — to play on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — hurry
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. lean — thin
  24. rush — a thrill

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