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: key · club · field · swing · rule · nail · wake · safe

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — a law
  4. field — a subject
  5. swing — in golf
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — in music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. field — for sport
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. club — a group
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rule — government
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. key — for a lock
  22. club — for dancing
  23. field — farmland
  24. safe — out of danger

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