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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. suit — to fit
  4. present — there
  5. mate — to breed
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. present — a gift
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. content — the amount
  15. suit — in cards
  16. content — happy
  17. mine — for digging
  18. rule — government
  19. face — to point toward
  20. present — the time now
  21. mate — a partner
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mate — a friend

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