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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rock — music
  5. mate — a friend
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. toast — bread
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. craft — boats
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mate — a partner
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — moving air
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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