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 · roll · jam · fine · firm · object · board · march

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. object — an aim
  3. firm — steady
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. board — to get on
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. object — a thing
  8. fine — high quality
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. swing — music
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. swing — in golf
  14. board — a committee
  15. firm — a company
  16. march — music
  17. march — the month
  18. swing — to play on
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. roll — a list
  21. fine — all right
  22. roll — a cake
  23. object — to protest
  24. march — the month

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