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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lean — thin
  5. board — a committee
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. key — in music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. net — for catching
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. net — in sport
  20. club — for dancing
  21. board — to get on
  22. key — for a lock
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bowl — to roll

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