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 · craft · bore · pop · club · pound · track · safe

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pound — a weight
  3. race — humankind
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pop — soda
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — a path
  11. bore — to tire
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. race — a contest
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pop — music
  17. bore — to drill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. track — a song
  23. pop — to visit
  24. club — for golf

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