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: mine · lash · pitcher · swing · scale · rest · date · rock

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. scale — in music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — music
  9. rest — a break
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mine — for digging
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — to move gently

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