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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. track — to keep track
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. track — a song
  10. kick — in football
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. track — a path
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug

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