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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. race — humankind
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cold — not warm
  10. cold — an illness
  11. ball — a dance
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. kick — in football
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. squash — to crush
  20. vault — a safe
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mug — to rob

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