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 · nail · rock · chest · deal · trunk · jam · season

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. chest — a box
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. season — of the year
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rock — music
  21. season — in sport
  22. rock — a stone
  23. swing — to play on
  24. trunk — of a car

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