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 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. spring — of water
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spring — the season
  7. kick — in football
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — to protest
  11. bulb — for light
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. object — an aim
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ball — a great time
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spring — a coil
  22. object — a thing
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ball — a round shape

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