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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a dance
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. snap — to click
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a great time
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. current — happening now

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