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: row · bound · bear · saw · tear · safe · suit · stock

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. stock — goods
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. suit — to fit
  12. row — a line
  13. tear — to rip
  14. row — to paddle
  15. suit — in cards
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stock — shares
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. saw — the tool

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