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: field · bowl · firm · swing · safe · lie · ball · key

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. field — farmland
  4. key — in music
  5. firm — a company
  6. key — the most important part
  7. field — a subject
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. firm — decided
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. ball — a dance
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. swing — to play on
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — music
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. field — for sport
  21. firm — steady
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — for a lock

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