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: safe · nail · sharp · bowl · wax · toast · spring · clip

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. spring — the season
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. clip — to cut
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. spring — of water
  12. clip — for paper
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. clip — a video
  21. wax — to grow
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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