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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. board — a committee
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. swing — to play on
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pop — soda
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. swing — music
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mate — a partner
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pop — music
  21. pop — to visit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. fork — in a road
  24. swing — in golf

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