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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. club — for dancing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. face — to confront
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. face — to point toward
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. club — for golf
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. swing — in golf
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. club — a group
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pitch — completely
  24. face — part of the head

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