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 · pit · drill · cue · bear · bat · season · mark

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — in sport
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bat — the animal
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cue — a signal
  22. drill — army training
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pit — a hole

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