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: swing · date · toast · foot · wax · bank

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. swing — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. wax — to grow
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. bank — for money
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. toast — bread
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. date — the fruit

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