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: pass · racket · swing · object · date · fork · safe · net

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. net — after costs
  4. swing — music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. object — a thing
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. object — to protest
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. net — for catching
  16. object — an aim
  17. net — in sport
  18. fork — in a road
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pass — a permit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. date — on the calendar

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