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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — a company
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — a lid
  7. last — final
  8. snap — to click
  9. saw — the tool
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cap — a hat
  14. saw — the tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. firm — steady
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. perch — the fish

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