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: race · straw · safe · bear · pop · capital · bound · calf

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bound — obliged
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. race — a contest
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bound — tied together
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. race — humankind
  12. pop — to visit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — the arms race
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — a city
  17. bear — the animal
  18. capital — money
  19. bound — certain
  20. pop — soda
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pop — music

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