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: staff · swing · jam · arm · pitch · wax · lean · rush

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. staff — employees
  3. swing — in golf
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. lean — to bend
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. staff — employees
  12. wax — to grow
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. staff — a stick
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lean — thin
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. swing — to play on
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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