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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bear — the animal
  5. spell — a short time
  6. tear — to rip
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pit — a hole
  9. spell — letters
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. current — of water
  12. tear — from crying
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — the most important part
  15. current — electric
  16. spell — magic
  17. key — in music
  18. wound — an injury
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bear — the animal
  21. current — happening now
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. safe — out of danger

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