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: leaves · game · fine · swing · object · face · chest · tube

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. object — a thing
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fine — high quality
  11. chest — a box
  12. object — an aim
  13. chest — of your body
  14. swing — to play on
  15. face — to confront
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. face — to point toward
  18. fine — all right
  19. face — part of the head
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. object — to protest
  22. swing — in golf
  23. chest — of your body
  24. swing — music

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