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: suit · club · lie · chest · pitcher · racket · root · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. club — a group
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lie — to recline
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. suit — clothes
  12. chest — a box
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. root — of a plant
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — in cards
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. suit — to fit
  22. root — of a word
  23. chest — of your body
  24. racket — for tennis

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