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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. march — the month
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bat — the animal
  11. fine — all right
  12. march — the month
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. snap — to click
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. march — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pit — a hole
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. pit — in a race

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