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: craft · bat · safe · fine · root · club · ground · hide

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. root — of a word
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ground — the earth
  7. root — of a plant
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. club — for golf
  11. root — the cause
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ground — a position
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. club — a group
  24. bat — the animal

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