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: safe · cabinet · firm · plane · nail · lean · press · lie

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — steady
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — to recline
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — thin
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. press — to push
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. firm — a company
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. press — a publisher
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — decided
  23. press — newspapers
  24. plane — a tool

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