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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. drill — army training
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. drill — a practice
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bass — the fish
  11. charge — a price
  12. drill — the tool
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bass — low music
  23. bat — the animal
  24. charge — in control

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