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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · swing · charge · pitch · fork · wake · bowl · lash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. charge — a price
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wake — a trail
  8. charge — electricity
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. swing — music
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fork — in a road

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