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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. file — a tool
  5. snap — to click
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. wind — moving air
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. fine — high quality
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. suit — in cards
  13. file — a line of people
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. file — a document
  17. kick — in football
  18. toast — bread
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. wind — moving air

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