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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rest — a break
  4. club — a group
  5. game — wild animals
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. track — a song
  8. pop — soda
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. track — a path
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pop — music
  14. club — for dancing
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. club — for golf
  17. rest — what's left
  18. track — to keep track
  19. game — a match
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rest — what's left
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. game — a kind of play

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