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: safe · fan · scale · ground · suit · key · rush · game

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. game — a match
  5. scale — in music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. suit — to fit
  8. key — in music
  9. ground — a position
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. ground — the earth
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. key — the most important part
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ground — crushed
  22. key — for a lock
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. game — wild animals

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