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: safe · cue · court · ball · fan · bay · tube · capital

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cue — a signal
  4. capital — a city
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tube — a container
  9. cue — for pool
  10. court — of a king
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. court — for sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. capital — money
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a hint
  21. tube — the underground
  22. court — of law
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. capital — a big letter

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