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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — steady
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — bread
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. drill — army training
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — a company
  11. drill — the tool
  12. tube — a container
  13. sharp — clever
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mark — a grade
  16. drill — a practice
  17. last — finally
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. last — to go on
  20. mark — a trace
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — the underground
  23. sharp — with an edge
  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