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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fine — all right
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. fine — high quality
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. file — a tool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. sharp — clever
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. file — a line of people
  15. court — of law
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. court — of a king
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. court — for sport
  20. file — a document
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. dip — to sink
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. dip — a sauce

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