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: game · swing · bowl · dip · key · bay · race · squash

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. key — in music
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. swing — music
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. game — wild animals
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. game — a match
  13. key — the most important part
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. swing — in golf
  21. race — humankind
  22. squash — to crush
  23. race — the arms race
  24. race — a contest

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