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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. key — for a lock
  4. toast — bread
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. key — in music
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. kick — in football
  10. bulb — for light
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. key — the most important part
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. toast — the most admired

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