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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. can — a tin
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bat — the animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. rush — hurry
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bound — certain
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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