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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a song
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rock — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. court — of a king
  10. band — a ring
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — clever
  14. track — to keep track
  15. band — a music group
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — to fit
  21. track — a path
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. safe — a strongbox

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