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 · stick · kick · fall · file · coach · chest · safe

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. race — humankind
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. race — the arms race
  6. file — a line of people
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. chest — of your body
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. file — a document
  13. fall — to drop
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. race — a contest
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kick — in football
  18. chest — a box
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fall — the season
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fall — to drop
  24. coach — a trainer

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