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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — to come down
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. ground — crushed
  5. ground — the earth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mark — a trace
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rest — what's left
  12. land — ground
  13. spell — magic
  14. rest — a break
  15. spell — letters
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. land — a country
  19. mark — a grade
  20. spell — a short time
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ground — a position
  24. kick — in football

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