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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. land — ground
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bank — for money
  12. land — to come down
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rush — hurry
  15. swing — in golf
  16. land — a country
  17. court — of law
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. court — for sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. court — of a king
  23. bank — of a river
  24. swing — to play on

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