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 116 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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. court — for sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. spring — of water
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — of law
  22. spring — a coil
  23. last — finally
  24. hide — to keep secret

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