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: rash · hide · pitch · safe · bay · bark · ball · band

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rash — hasty
  6. band — a music group
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. band — a ring
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rash — a series
  24. hide — animal skin

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