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: fork · track · wave · march · rash · ground · firm · swing

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. track — a song
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fork — in a road
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ground — crushed
  7. rash — hasty
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. march — music
  13. track — a path
  14. firm — a company
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. march — the month
  17. rash — a series
  18. march — the month
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ground — a position
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. swing — music
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. firm — steady

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