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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rock — music
  4. firm — steady
  5. game — wild animals
  6. hand — help
  7. firm — decided
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. rock — a stone
  12. firm — a company
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. hand — in cards
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — the animal
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. game — a match
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. safe — a strongbox

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