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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. press — a publisher
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. press — newspapers
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. press — to push
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. arm — a part of something

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