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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. squash — the sport
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — in sport
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. key — the most important part
  9. snap — to click
  10. key — for a lock
  11. net — for catching
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. key — in music
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. track — to keep track
  22. net — after costs
  23. rash — a series
  24. bulb — of a plant

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