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: scale · branch · stick · face · mug · arm · chair · swing

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. swing — to play on
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mug — a face
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. scale — in music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chair — a leader
  11. face — to point toward
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. face — to confront
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. scale — size or range
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mug — to rob
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. face — part of the head
  21. mug — a cup
  22. swing — music
  23. branch — a division
  24. chair — a professorship

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