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: safe · court · swing · chip · cold · cabinet · plane · bass

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. chip — for betting
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. chip — to eat
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — the fish
  13. court — for sport
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. court — of a king
  17. bass — low music
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. swing — to play on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. court — of law
  23. cold — not warm
  24. cold — an illness

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