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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. swing — in golf
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. swing — music
  5. suit — clothes
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. key — the most important part
  8. suit — in cards
  9. squash — to crush
  10. shower — to wash
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bound — obliged
  13. rock — a stone
  14. sharp — clever
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. shower — rain
  18. key — in music
  19. bound — tied together
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bound — certain
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. rock — music
  24. squash — the sport

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