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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. march — the month
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bound — certain
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. march — music
  12. bound — obliged
  13. race — a contest
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bound — tied together
  16. race — humankind
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. march — the month
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. race — the arms race
  24. perch — for a bird

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