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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. mate — to breed
  2. wound — an injury
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wound — an injury
  6. can — a tin
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mate — a partner
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ground — crushed
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mate — a friend
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ground — a position
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. toast — bread
  21. can — a tin
  22. ground — the earth
  23. sharp — clever
  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