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: bore · suit · perch · wound · toast · clip · safe · pitch

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — bread
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. clip — a video
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bore — to drill
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — to tire
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitch — completely
  21. clip — to cut
  22. clip — for paper
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. perch — for a bird

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