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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spring — a coil
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pit — a hole
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rush — hurry
  9. spring — of water
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cell — a phone
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pit — in a race
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — in biology
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. squash — to crush
  22. spring — the season
  23. cue — for pool
  24. safe — out of danger

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