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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. kid — to tease
  8. sharp — clever
  9. land — to come down
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. chip — for betting
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chip — to eat
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rush — a thrill

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