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 · rush · mark · pound · staff · mug · roll · craft

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mug — to rob
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — a cake
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mug — a cup
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mug — a face
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — a trace
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. roll — a list
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pound — for dogs

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