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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. game — wild animals
  3. cell — a phone
  4. drill — a practice
  5. game — a match
  6. drill — the tool
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — completely
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — boats
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — a series
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rash — hasty
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. drill — army training

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