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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. tube — a container
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. key — the most important part
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — steady
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. kick — in football
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. key — in music
  17. firm — a company
  18. sharp — clever
  19. firm — decided
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. key — for a lock
  22. squash — the sport
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. squash — to crush

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