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: sharp · pit · hide · kick · mouse · safe · saw · track

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. track — a song
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — in football
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. sharp — clever
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. safe — out of danger

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