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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pit — a hole
  3. club — a group
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. club — for golf
  7. mate — a partner
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. track — a song
  12. land — ground
  13. mate — to breed
  14. land — to come down
  15. track — to keep track
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a city
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. club — for dancing
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. land — a country
  23. track — a path
  24. mate — a friend

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