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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. race — humankind
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. shower — rain
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. race — a contest
  17. mine — for digging
  18. suit — to fit
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. race — the arms race
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. pitch — completely

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