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: ground · wave · pop · safe · tear · temple · firm · roll

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pop — to visit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. ground — crushed
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. tear — from crying
  16. roll — a list
  17. ground — a position
  18. firm — a company
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. firm — steady
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. firm — decided
  24. ground — the earth

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