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 120 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: bowl · plane · land · safe · wave · sharp · patient · rash

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. land — to come down
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. land — ground
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. plane — a tool
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. land — a country

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