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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. file — a line of people
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. board — to get on
  6. craft — a skill
  7. file — a document
  8. season — in sport
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. file — a tool
  12. craft — boats
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. charge — in control
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — a committee
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. saw — the tool

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