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: march · swing · bass · fine · club · ruler · track · branch

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. club — a group
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. march — the month
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. branch — a division
  10. club — for golf
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. bass — the fish
  13. swing — to play on
  14. fine — high quality
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bass — low music
  23. track — a path
  24. track — a song

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