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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rock — music
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fine — all right
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. capital — a city
  11. swing — music
  12. pit — in a race
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. capital — money
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. temple — a place of worship

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