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: foot · fan · safe · degree · stick · rock · plane · swing

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. degree — from a university
  4. swing — music
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. foot — a measure
  10. plane — a tool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. degree — an amount
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. degree — temperature
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rock — music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. swing — in golf

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