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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fall — to drop
  3. race — humankind
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — a series
  6. scale — size or range
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. file — a tool
  9. rash — hasty
  10. object — an aim
  11. scale — in music
  12. race — a contest
  13. fall — to drop
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. race — the arms race
  16. object — a thing
  17. fall — the season
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. file — a line of people
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. object — to protest
  24. scale — for weighing

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