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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fall — the season
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. press — to push
  6. bound — tied together
  7. race — humankind
  8. bound — obliged
  9. press — a publisher
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. race — a contest
  16. fall — to drop
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. press — newspapers
  20. race — the arms race
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ground — crushed
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bound — certain

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