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 120 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 didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bat — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. fine — all right
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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