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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — ground
  3. tube — the underground
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. tube — a container
  6. face — to point toward
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bass — the fish
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. face — part of the head
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. land — to come down
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — to trim
  20. face — to confront
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. land — a country
  24. tube — in a tire

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