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: game · hand · vault · safe · race · bore · cap · object

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hand — help
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bore — to drill
  6. vault — a safe
  7. game — wild animals
  8. object — a thing
  9. cap — a lid
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. object — to protest
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bore — to tire
  16. race — humankind
  17. race — a contest
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cap — a hat
  20. game — a match
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. race — the arms race
  23. object — an aim
  24. bore — gave birth

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