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 120 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: rash · key · board · mate · kid · safe · game · dip

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. key — for a lock
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. game — a match
  6. dip — to sink
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. kid — child
  15. board — a committee
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rash — a series
  19. mate — a friend
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rash — hasty
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. board — to get on
  24. game — wild animals

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