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: band · perch · stick · swing · lean · scale · pitch · cabinet

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a ring
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lean — thin
  6. pitch — completely
  7. scale — size or range
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lean — to bend

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