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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — all right
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. game — a match
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fine — high quality
  24. chair — a leader

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