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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. present — there
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. present — the time now
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rash — a series
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fine — all right
  22. rash — hasty
  23. present — a gift
  24. wax — to grow

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