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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kid — child
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. mine — for digging
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bank — for money
  12. snap — to click
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. firm — steady
  24. mine — belonging to me

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