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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cap — of ice
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cold — an illness
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cold — not warm
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. chair — a leader
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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