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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bank — for money
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bank — of a river
  9. race — a contest
  10. charge — in control
  11. squash — the sport
  12. court — for sport
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. court — of a king
  16. bank — for money
  17. game — wild animals
  18. court — of law
  19. game — a match
  20. race — humankind
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — a kind of play

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