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: net · foot · rock · swing · board · wound · hand · bulb

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — for catching
  7. rock — music
  8. hand — help
  9. rock — a stone
  10. hand — in cards
  11. board — to get on
  12. foot — a measure
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. swing — to play on
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bulb — for light
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wound — an injury

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