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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chair — a leader
  5. charge — a price
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. lean — to bend
  8. kid — to tease
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. scale — in music
  11. row — to paddle
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — child
  19. charge — electricity
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. charge — in control
  23. scale — size or range
  24. lean — thin

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