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 was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. pitch — completely
  4. net — for catching
  5. can — a tin
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. row — a line
  9. net — in sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — wild animals
  12. content — the amount
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. can — to be able to
  16. row — to paddle
  17. content — happy
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bulb — for light
  22. game — a match
  23. net — after costs
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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