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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. fall — the season
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fall — to drop
  7. saw — the tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — to confront
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. face — part of the head
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ground — crushed
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. kid — to tease
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kid — child
  24. nail — for a hammer

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