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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fine — all right
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. present — the time now
  7. key — for a lock
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. tear — from crying
  13. squash — to crush
  14. hand — help
  15. present — there
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. tear — to rip
  19. squash — the sport
  20. present — a gift
  21. tear — from crying
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hand — 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