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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. band — a music group
  3. season — of the year
  4. season — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. band — a ring
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. suit — to fit
  13. net — for catching
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. net — after costs
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — a match
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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