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: lean · present · bulb · degree · pit · safe · fork · foot

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. present — the time now
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pit — a hole
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. lean — thin
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pit — in a race
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bulb — for light
  17. present — a gift
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. foot — a measure
  20. degree — from a university
  21. fork — in a road
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lean — to rest against

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