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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bound — certain
  5. pass — a permit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bound — obliged
  9. tube — a container
  10. spring — the season
  11. ground — a position
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bound — tied together
  15. ground — the earth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. spring — of water
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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