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 120 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: safe · fall · perch · swing · saw · racket · land · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. swing — music
  3. fall — to drop
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. land — a country
  6. saw — the tool
  7. fall — the season
  8. band — a music group
  9. fall — to drop
  10. land — ground
  11. swing — in golf
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. swing — to play on
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — the tool
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. land — to come down
  22. band — a ring
  23. perch — the fish
  24. racket — for tennis

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