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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pass — a permit
  4. court — for sport
  5. cue — a signal
  6. swing — to play on
  7. present — a gift
  8. cue — a hint
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. court — of a king
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — an injury
  13. present — the time now
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cue — for pool
  19. swing — music
  20. court — of law
  21. present — there
  22. wound — an injury
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fork — to eat with

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