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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. key — the most important part
  4. root — the cause
  5. wind — moving air
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. key — in music
  14. root — of a plant
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. root — of a word
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. key — for a lock
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sports field

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