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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rock — music
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. court — of law
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mine — for digging
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. swing — in golf
  15. court — of a king
  16. bound — certain
  17. swing — music
  18. bound — tied together
  19. scale — in music
  20. court — for sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. swing — to play on
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. safe — a strongbox

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