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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. clip — a video
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. face — part of the head
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mate — to breed
  10. root — of a word
  11. mate — a friend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. root — the cause
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. face — to point toward
  18. root — of a plant
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. clip — to cut
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bulb — for light
  23. face — to confront
  24. row — a line

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