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: bass · can · bay · mine · sharp · foot · chest · safe

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bass — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. foot — a measure
  16. can — a tin
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bass — low music
  22. chest — a box
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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