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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tear — to rip
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mark — a trace
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. tear — from crying
  12. squash — the sport
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fine — all right
  15. firm — steady
  16. squash — to crush
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mark — a grade
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fine — high quality
  24. firm — a company

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