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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. track — a song
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. game — a match
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. swing — in golf
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. swing — music
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. rule — government
  15. lean — to bend
  16. swing — to play on
  17. rule — a law
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. game — wild animals
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lean — thin
  24. track — a path

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