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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — humankind
  5. chip — for betting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. face — to point toward
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chip — to eat
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. face — to confront
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. race — a contest
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. face — part of the head
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. race — the arms race
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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