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: drill · leaves · bass · ruler · chest · swing · wake · face

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. chest — of your body
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bass — the fish
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. face — to point toward
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. chest — of your body
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bass — low music
  14. swing — music
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chest — a box
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. swing — to play on
  24. drill — army training

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