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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. field — farmland
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. field — a subject
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mark — a grade
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — to crush
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mark — a trace
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. field — for sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a great time

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