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: clip · staff · bowl · stick · safe · sharp · press · last

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. last — to go on
  4. sharp — clever
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. press — to push
  11. staff — employees
  12. clip — for paper
  13. last — finally
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. staff — a stick
  17. press — newspapers
  18. clip — a video
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. last — final
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. staff — employees
  24. bowl — a dish

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