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 116 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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. kick — in football
  17. cold — not warm
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — to handle
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. prune — to trim

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