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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. spell — letters
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. spell — a short time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bound — certain
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — there
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. rush — hurry
  21. spell — magic
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. ball — a dance

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