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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — high quality
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. clip — for paper
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. clip — a video
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. vault — a safe
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fine — all right

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