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 124 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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — humankind
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. spring — a coil
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — a leader
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — boats
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. scale — in music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. swing — music
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. spring — of water
  19. scale — size or range
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spring — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. swing — in golf

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