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: mug · swing · current · capital · sharp · game · trunk · safe

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mug — to rob
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. current — electric
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. capital — a city
  16. game — a match
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. game — wild animals
  22. capital — money
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — a strongbox

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