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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — music
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. swing — to play on
  19. degree — temperature
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. swing — music

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