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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. race — the arms race
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wake — a trail
  6. shower — to wash
  7. race — a contest
  8. ground — the earth
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. ground — a position
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. race — humankind
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox

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