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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. spell — letters
  4. squash — the sport
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — a grade
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. spell — magic
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. spell — a short time
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. hide — animal skin

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