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: ball · fork · wave · bound · stand · swing · chair · toast

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. toast — bread
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fork — in a road
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. stand — to bear
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. swing — music
  17. ball — a dance
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bound — certain
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. swing — in golf

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