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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wound — an injury
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ground — a position
  8. cap — a lid
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. plane — a tool
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ground — the earth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cap — of ice
  19. ground — crushed
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cap — a hat
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ball — a dance

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