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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. staff — a stick
  4. kid — to tease
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — a trace
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. perch — the fish
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — help
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. date — the fruit
  24. kid — child

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