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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — a thing
  4. kick — in football
  5. kid — child
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. tube — a container
  12. rest — a break
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. rest — what's left
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. object — to protest
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. object — an aim
  24. fan — a supporter

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