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: last · fall · swing · bound · racket · mate · bank · field

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. field — farmland
  3. swing — to play on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mate — to breed
  6. last — to go on
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bank — for money
  13. last — finally
  14. fall — to drop
  15. field — for sport
  16. mate — a partner
  17. field — a subject
  18. swing — in golf
  19. bank — for money
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. last — final
  24. racket — a loud noise

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