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: safe · dip · cold · pitch · plane · drill · staff · lean

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — employees
  5. drill — army training
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — a stick
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. plane — a tool
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. staff — employees
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — an illness
  22. lean — to bend
  23. drill — the tool
  24. safe — a strongbox

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