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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. last — final
  5. present — there
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. present — a gift
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. last — to go on
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. last — finally
  17. present — the time now
  18. hide — to keep secret

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