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: content · board · leaves · land · pitch · ground · safe · ruler

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitch — completely
  3. board — to get on
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. land — ground
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — happy
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. land — a country
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. content — the amount
  19. board — a committee
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ground — a position
  23. land — to come down
  24. board — a flat piece

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