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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. fine — all right
  5. snap — to click
  6. fine — high quality
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. prune — to trim
  11. game — a match
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. game — wild animals
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — to recline
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. pound — a weight
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. safe — a strongbox

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