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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. hand — in cards
  10. object — to protest
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. kick — in football
  15. swing — to play on
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. object — an aim
  18. hand — help
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. ground — the earth
  21. object — a thing
  22. swing — music
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rest — what's left

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