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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — music
  3. ground — the earth
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pound — a weight
  6. key — in music
  7. race — humankind
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — a position
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. prune — to trim
  16. race — a contest
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cell — a phone
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. key — for a lock
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pound — for dogs

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