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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. spring — the season
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lean — to bend
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. press — newspapers
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. press — a publisher
  14. spring — of water
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — music
  20. rash — a series
  21. land — ground
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pitch — a sports field

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