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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. file — a tool
  12. toast — bread
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rash — hasty
  15. file — a document
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. file — a line of people
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. branch — a division
  21. pit — in a race
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rash — a series

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