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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. race — humankind
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. ground — the earth
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. kid — to tease
  9. capital — money
  10. ground — a position
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. foot — a measure
  15. race — the arms race
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. race — a contest
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. kid — child
  20. capital — a city
  21. cue — a hint
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ground — crushed

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