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 · wax · temple · mug · dip · capital · straw

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. capital — money
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wax — to grow
  5. mug — to rob
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. staff — a stick
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mug — a face
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. swing — to play on
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mug — a cup
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. swing — in golf
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wax — in the ear

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