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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. face — part of the head
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. face — to point toward
  5. fork — in a road
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. race — a contest
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — the arms race
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. race — humankind
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — to confront
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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