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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. key — the most important part
  5. wake — a trail
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tear — to rip
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — the arms race
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. tear — from crying
  17. key — in music
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. suit — to fit
  23. race — a contest
  24. key — for a lock

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