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 116 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 · spell · race · pass · band · prune · field · ruler

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. prune — to trim
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — a contest
  5. field — for sport
  6. spell — letters
  7. race — humankind
  8. band — a music group
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spell — magic
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pass — a permit
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. field — a subject
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. field — farmland
  20. band — a ring
  21. spell — a short time
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. ruler — for measuring

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