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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. stock — shares
  4. face — part of the head
  5. shower — to wash
  6. present — there
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. present — the time now
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. wax — to grow
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. foot — a measure
  16. face — to confront
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. present — a gift
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. face — to point toward
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stock — goods
  24. shower — rain

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