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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. board — a committee
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. club — for dancing
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. chest — a box
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. chest — of your body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pass — a permit
  14. swing — music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. club — a group
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. board — to get on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — in golf
  21. chest — of your body
  22. club — for golf
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. safe — out of danger

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