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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. object — an aim
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. board — to get on
  11. object — a thing
  12. board — a committee
  13. object — to protest
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bulb — for light
  20. tube — a container
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — a country
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. land — ground

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