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: spell · spring · staff · board · tube · rock · fine · swing

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. swing — music
  3. spell — a short time
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. staff — employees
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — to play on
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. staff — employees
  12. spell — magic
  13. board — to get on
  14. spring — the season
  15. rock — music
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rock — a stone
  18. spring — a coil
  19. tube — a container
  20. board — a committee
  21. spell — letters
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. spring — of water
  24. staff — a stick

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