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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. chip — for betting
  5. charge — a price
  6. kid — child
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. charge — in control
  13. kid — to tease
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bore — to drill
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. charge — electricity
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. chip — to eat

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