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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. court — of a king
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. file — a document
  6. perch — the fish
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. race — humankind
  9. court — of law
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. file — a tool
  12. vault — a safe
  13. race — the arms race
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. court — for sport
  17. suit — to fit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. suit — clothes
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. file — a line of people
  22. suit — in cards
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. race — a contest

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