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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rash — hasty
  4. craft — boats
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rash — a series
  12. pitch — completely
  13. degree — from a university
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. degree — an amount
  24. craft — a handicraft

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