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: kid · arm · can · tear · wind · bay · safe · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wind — moving air
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. tear — from crying
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wind — moving air
  21. tear — from crying
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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