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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. band — a music group
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. perch — the fish
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wound — an injury
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. race — a contest
  15. band — a ring
  16. rush — hurry
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. race — humankind
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. safe — out of danger

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