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 120 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: capital · safe · hide · cell · land · rock · wave · squash

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. land — a country
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. capital — money
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rock — music
  10. land — ground
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. capital — a city
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. land — to come down
  24. capital — a big letter

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