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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — soda
  3. swing — to play on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. last — to go on
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wound — an injury
  8. tube — a container
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wound — an injury
  12. last — finally
  13. pop — music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. swing — music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. suit — in cards
  19. last — final
  20. swing — in golf
  21. pop — to visit
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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