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: bass · saw · kick · pop · cap · race · safe · key

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — humankind
  5. key — in music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pop — to visit
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bass — the fish
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pop — soda
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pop — music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. race — a contest
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. key — the most important part

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