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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. content — the amount
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. object — a thing
  8. land — to come down
  9. object — to protest
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fine — high quality
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mark — a trace
  16. object — an aim
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fine — all right
  19. mark — a grade
  20. content — happy
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  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