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 116 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — a thing
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. charge — a price
  6. prune — to trim
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. season — of the year
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. prune — to trim
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — to protest
  16. charge — electricity
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — in sport
  19. object — an aim
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. charge — in control
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. dip — to sink

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