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: coach · rest · straw · safe · swing · firm · branch · rash

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. swing — music
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rest — a break
  4. swing — in golf
  5. branch — a division
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. swing — to play on
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. firm — decided
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — a series
  23. firm — a company
  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