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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mug — a cup
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — the time now
  10. capital — money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. present — a gift
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. capital — a city
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. present — there
  19. pitch — completely
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a face
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. swing — to play on
  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