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 116 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. club — a group
  3. cap — a hat
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. bank — of a river
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. swing — to play on
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bank — for money
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. club — for golf
  14. shower — rain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bank — for money
  18. bat — the animal
  19. cap — of ice
  20. swing — in golf
  21. court — of law
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bat — for baseball

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