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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. swing — in golf
  4. track — a song
  5. track — to keep track
  6. swing — to play on
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wind — moving air
  10. tube — a container
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a great time
  13. swing — music
  14. court — of a king
  15. sharp — clever
  16. court — of law
  17. track — a path
  18. ball — a dance
  19. court — for sport
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ball — a round shape

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