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: club · kid · safe · object · coach · stand · track · ground

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — for golf
  5. kid — to tease
  6. ground — the earth
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. object — to protest
  9. kid — child
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — an aim
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. club — a group
  16. ground — a position
  17. track — a song
  18. object — a thing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ground — crushed
  24. coach — a trainer

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