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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · vault · arm · jam · race · chair · plane · snap

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. snap — to click
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — a tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. vault — a safe
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chair — a leader
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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