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

Word bank: bear · bore · degree · mate · safe · season · cell · suit

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cell — a phone
  6. season — of the year
  7. degree — an amount
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bear — the animal
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bore — to tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bore — to drill
  17. degree — temperature
  18. mate — a friend
  19. degree — from a university
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mate — a partner
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. season — in sport

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