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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chest · swing · stem · object · wave · pound

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. swing — music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chest — of your body
  5. object — an aim
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. swing — in golf
  12. object — to protest
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pound — a weight
  16. chest — of your body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. object — a thing

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