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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. present — there
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. field — farmland
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. field — for sport
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rush — hurry
  18. field — a subject
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — to trim
  24. straw — dry grass

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