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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cell — in biology
  9. fine — high quality
  10. craft — boats
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. charge — a price
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. shower — rain
  18. mate — a friend
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fine — all right
  23. charge — in control
  24. craft — a skill

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