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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. file — a tool
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. plane — a tool
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ball — a great time
  8. dip — to sink
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — the animal
  16. last — to go on
  17. file — a document
  18. ball — a dance
  19. file — a line of people
  20. last — final
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. dip — to dunk

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