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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pit — a hole
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mine — for digging
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cap — a hat
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cap — a lid
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. squash — the sport
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mine — belonging to me

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