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: row · bear · chair · ground · safe · mark · net · wave

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. net — after costs
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. net — for catching
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. row — a line
  21. net — in sport
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ground — a position

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