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 120 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 was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. object — a thing
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cap — of ice
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. object — to protest
  20. squash — the sport
  21. object — an aim
  22. stand — to bear
  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