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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wake — a trail
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. charge — electricity
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. branch — a division
  12. shower — rain
  13. charge — in control
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. shower — to wash
  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