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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · rush · safe · vault · sharp · field

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. field — farmland
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. field — a subject
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. rush — hurry
  10. vault — a safe
  11. field — for sport
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. sharp — clever

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