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: mug · object · bass · safe · firm · rash · sharp · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bass — low music
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. object — to protest
  5. rash — a series
  6. mug — a cup
  7. firm — steady
  8. land — to come down
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. object — a thing
  13. firm — a company
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. object — an aim
  16. land — ground
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mug — a face
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — decided
  22. bass — the fish
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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