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 120 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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — a stick
  5. season — in sport
  6. degree — an amount
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. degree — from a university
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. kid — child
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. board — a committee
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. season — of the year
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. staff — employees
  20. board — to get on
  21. degree — temperature
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. staff — employees

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