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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — hasty
  3. race — humankind
  4. fall — to drop
  5. firm — a company
  6. drill — the tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — steady
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. drill — army training
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. drill — a practice
  17. race — a contest
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. firm — decided
  21. rash — a series
  22. can — a tin
  23. ball — a great time
  24. can — to be able to

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