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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cap — a hat
  5. capital — money
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. firm — decided
  17. capital — a city
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. firm — a company
  20. cap — of ice
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. cap — a lid
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. prune — the fruit

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