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: spell · bear · root · hand · firm · last · safe · jam

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. root — of a word
  3. bear — the animal
  4. root — the cause
  5. bear — the animal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. hand — in cards
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. firm — steady
  15. spell — magic
  16. firm — decided
  17. last — final
  18. root — of a plant
  19. firm — a company
  20. hand — help
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. last — to go on
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. last — finally

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