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: plane · safe · roll · bat · board · swing · mouse · rash

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bat — the animal
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rash — hasty
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. roll — a list
  14. board — to get on
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. roll — a cake
  17. swing — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rash — a series
  24. plane — a tool

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