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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. firm — decided
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. hand — in cards
  9. spring — a coil
  10. firm — a company
  11. field — for sport
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — to breed
  16. field — farmland
  17. firm — steady
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — the season
  20. mate — a friend
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hand — help
  23. field — a subject
  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