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: swing · wind · wound · squash · staff · rock · date · pit

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. swing — music
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. pit — in a race
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. date — the fruit
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. staff — employees
  10. rock — a stone
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wind — moving air
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wind — moving air
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. swing — in golf
  24. squash — to crush

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