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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. prune — to trim
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. drill — the tool
  7. race — a contest
  8. scale — in music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. race — the arms race
  11. scale — size or range
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. shower — rain
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — in football
  18. shower — to wash
  19. drill — army training
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. race — humankind
  23. drill — a practice
  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