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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fine — high quality
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. present — there
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. dip — to sink
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — a gift
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. foot — a measure
  20. prune — to trim
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. track — a song

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