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: perch · spring · nail · stand · present · mine · safe · date

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. spring — the season
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — a coil
  9. present — the time now
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. spring — of water
  13. present — a gift
  14. perch — the fish
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. present — there
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — to bear
  24. safe — a strongbox

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