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: mate · spell · rush · row · safe · last · bulb · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bulb — for light
  3. spell — a short time
  4. row — a line
  5. spell — letters
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. mate — to breed
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. last — final
  11. mate — a partner
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — finally
  14. row — to paddle
  15. fine — all right
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fine — high quality
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. mate — a friend
  23. spell — magic
  24. rush — hurry

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