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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. shower — rain
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. spell — a short time
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. board — to get on
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. swing — to play on
  12. spell — letters
  13. swing — music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cap — a lid
  18. board — a committee
  19. cap — of ice
  20. shower — to wash
  21. spell — magic
  22. swing — in golf
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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