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: mug · game · sharp · safe · fork · cue · wound · squash

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. cue — for pool
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. wound — an injury
  5. sharp — clever
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. game — a match
  15. squash — the sport
  16. wound — an injury
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cue — a hint
  19. squash — to crush
  20. game — wild animals
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. fork — to eat with

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