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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — music
  9. kid — child
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rush — hurry
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — the cause
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. root — of a plant
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. root — of a word
  23. kid — to tease
  24. safe — a strongbox

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