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: tube · fall · suit · swing · trunk · current · land · saw

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. land — ground
  4. fall — the season
  5. saw — the tool
  6. land — a country
  7. fall — to drop
  8. saw — the tool
  9. land — to come down
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. current — electric
  12. suit — to fit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fall — to drop
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. suit — in cards
  19. current — happening now
  20. swing — music
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. tube — a container
  23. suit — clothes
  24. current — of water

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