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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. row — a line
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — to fit
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. row — to paddle
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mark — a trace
  14. suit — in cards
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. mark — a grade
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. suit — clothes
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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