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: nail · lean · pound · safe · lie · race · craft · stand

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. craft — boats
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. race — a contest
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pound — a weight
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lean — thin
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. craft — a skill
  22. race — humankind
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. safe — out of danger

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