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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — to recline
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. clip — for paper
  8. ground — the earth
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — a video
  11. last — to go on
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ground — a position
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — shares
  17. suit — clothes
  18. field — a subject
  19. last — final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — for sport
  23. ground — crushed
  24. safe — a strongbox

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