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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. drill — a practice
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mine — for digging
  6. race — a contest
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. race — the arms race
  10. drill — army training
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chair — a leader
  13. drill — the tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. race — humankind
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wave — of the sea

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