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

Word bank: safe · fall · race · rest · pound · object · cell · rash

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. race — a contest
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rash — a series
  6. object — to protest
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fall — the season
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. object — an aim
  17. pound — a weight
  18. rest — what's left
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. rash — hasty
  24. fall — to drop

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