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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. swing — to play on
  3. cue — a signal
  4. field — a subject
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. field — for sport
  8. content — happy
  9. swing — music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cue — a hint
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. pit — in a race
  15. club — a group
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. club — for golf
  18. plane — a tool
  19. field — farmland
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — videos and posts

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