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 120 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: pop · track · land · safe · wind · charge · ball · swing

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — to visit
  6. charge — a price
  7. pop — music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. charge — in control
  10. swing — in golf
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. land — a country
  14. track — a path
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. swing — to play on
  19. land — ground
  20. charge — electricity
  21. swing — music
  22. land — to come down
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wind — moving air

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