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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bound — certain
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cue — a signal
  7. mine — for digging
  8. cue — a hint
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ball — a great time
  13. club — for dancing
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bound — tied together
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bound — obliged
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — a group

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