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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — a price
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. charge — electricity
  8. game — wild animals
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. game — a match
  11. charge — in control
  12. craft — boats
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. swing — in golf
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fall — the season
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fall — to drop
  22. swing — music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. craft — a skill

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