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 124 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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. scale — in music
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — to wash
  14. sharp — clever
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. suit — in cards

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