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: leaves · net · saw · present · safe · snap · degree · bear

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bear — the animal
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. degree — an amount
  9. snap — to click
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. net — for catching
  13. bear — the animal
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. net — after costs
  17. present — the time now
  18. saw — the tool
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — lets stay

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