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 · press · snap · temple · wake · current · net · chest

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. press — to push
  3. current — electric
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. net — in sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chest — a box
  11. press — newspapers
  12. current — happening now
  13. press — a publisher
  14. net — after costs
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. current — of water
  18. wake — a trail
  19. chest — of your body
  20. snap — to click
  21. chest — of your body
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. temple — side of the head

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