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: wave · spring · firm · swing · club · perch · trunk · season

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. spring — the season
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. club — for golf
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — for dancing
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. firm — steady
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. season — in sport
  12. perch — the fish
  13. spring — of water
  14. swing — to play on
  15. season — of the year
  16. firm — a company
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. spring — a coil
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. club — a group
  23. swing — music
  24. firm — decided

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