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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. key — the most important part
  3. swing — in golf
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stock — goods
  6. game — wild animals
  7. swing — music
  8. fork — in a road
  9. key — for a lock
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. key — in music
  13. stock — shares
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. game — a match
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rush — hurry
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — moving air

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