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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. current — of water
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. march — the month
  5. current — happening now
  6. march — music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. race — a contest
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. race — humankind
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. current — electric
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. march — the month
  24. race — the arms race

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