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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — a position
  4. race — the arms race
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. firm — steady
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. row — to paddle
  13. firm — decided
  14. ground — crushed
  15. content — the amount
  16. race — a contest
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. content — happy
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. firm — a company

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