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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. track — a song
  3. suit — clothes
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. game — a match
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. track — a path
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. track — to keep track
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. suit — in cards
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. suit — to fit
  20. game — wild animals
  21. swing — music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. swing — in golf
  24. game — a kind of play

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