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: game · kick · saw · safe · band · branch · deal · hide

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. game — a match
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. deal — to handle
  14. saw — the tool
  15. game — wild animals
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. kick — in football
  22. band — a ring
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. band — a music group

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