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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fine — all right
  4. prune — to trim
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. field — a subject
  8. game — a match
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. tube — a container
  12. fork — in a road
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. field — for sport
  16. fine — high quality
  17. tube — the underground
  18. field — farmland
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. game — wild animals
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fork — to eat with

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