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: game · last · safe · hide · sharp · staff · tear · bore

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tear — from crying
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. staff — employees
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. tear — from crying
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. last — final
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bore — to tire
  18. staff — employees
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. last — finally
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. tear — to rip
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. last — to go on

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