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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. swing — to play on
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. last — finally
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. swing — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for dancing
  15. content — happy
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — a price
  18. swing — in golf
  19. content — the amount
  20. last — to go on
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. squash — the sport
  24. last — final

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