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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bass — the fish
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. kid — to tease
  7. sharp — clever
  8. tube — a container
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. kid — child
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bass — low music

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