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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a hat
  4. club — a group
  5. spring — the season
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cap — a lid
  10. swing — to play on
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pit — in a race
  13. craft — boats
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — of ice
  17. swing — music
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pit — a hole
  20. swing — in golf
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — of water
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — a skill

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