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: can · suit · deal · safe · cold · file · straw · fall

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — the season
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fall — to drop
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. file — a tool
  9. file — a line of people
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. suit — in cards
  12. can — a tin
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. file — a document
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. can — to be able to
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. cold — an illness
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cold — not warm
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fall — to drop
  24. deal — an agreement

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