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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. drill — army training
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. snap — to click
  8. kick — in football
  9. bass — low music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. file — a tool
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wax — to grow
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bass — the fish
  22. drill — a practice
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a document

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