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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lean — thin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. last — final
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. spell — magic
  8. last — finally
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — to bend
  14. bear — the animal
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fork — in a road
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — letters
  21. last — to go on
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. degree — from a university
  24. bat — for baseball

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