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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. drill — a practice
  2. court — of law
  3. squash — to crush
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — in golf
  6. court — for sport
  7. wake — a trail
  8. key — for a lock
  9. court — of a king
  10. bear — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. drill — the tool
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — in music
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fine — all right
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. drill — army training
  23. bear — to put up with
  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