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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rock — a stone
  5. club — for golf
  6. rock — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pop — soda
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. club — a group
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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