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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. club — for dancing
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bass — the fish
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bass — low music
  18. club — for golf
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — a tool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. dip — to sink
  24. club — a group

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