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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — a short time
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stem — to come from
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rest — what's left
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. rest — a break
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. race — a contest
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. race — humankind
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spell — magic
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. spell — letters
  24. stem — a stem cell

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