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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kid — child
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — the month
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kid — to tease
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wake — a trail
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. march — music
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. march — the month
  24. mouse — for a computer

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