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 116 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: nail · bat · deal · coach · bound · root · mine · safe

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. root — the cause
  8. bound — obliged
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. root — of a word
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bound — certain
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bound — tied together
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. deal — to handle
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. root — of a plant
  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