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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. file — a document
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. file — a tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. key — in music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. key — for a lock
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. key — the most important part
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. file — a line of people
  23. kid — child
  24. jam — in traffic

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