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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. swing — in golf
  3. capital — money
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. capital — a city
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rule — government
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. track — to keep track
  10. swing — to play on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. track — a path
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. plane — a tool
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rule — a law
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. swing — music
  24. lash — an eyelash

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