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: ball · branch · mark · safe · kid · dip · tube · bore

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — a container
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — child
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a dance
  9. dip — to sink
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bore — to drill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bore — to tire
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. branch — a division
  21. kid — to tease
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mark — a trace
  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