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 116 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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. 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. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. object — to protest
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. object — a thing
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. sharp — clever
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a grade
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. 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