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 · saw · cold · chip · wave · stick · leaves

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cold — an illness
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. saw — the tool
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cold — not warm
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chip — for betting
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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