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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cell — in biology
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. season — of the year
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. row — to paddle
  8. can — to be able to
  9. face — to confront
  10. season — in sport
  11. bound — tied together
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bound — certain
  18. face — part of the head
  19. mark — a trace
  20. face — to point toward
  21. can — a tin
  22. row — a line
  23. mark — a grade
  24. season — to add flavour

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