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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. kick — in football
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — in cards
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. ground — a position
  7. toast — bread
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fine — all right
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ground — crushed
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hand — help
  24. safe — out of danger

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