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: bay · mine · fall · cold · arm · plane · race · safe

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. cold — an illness
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mine — for digging
  12. race — a contest
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cold — not warm
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fall — to drop
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fall — the season
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bay — a horse colour

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