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: firm · rush · race · stem · swing · bat · capital · safe

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. race — humankind
  6. capital — a city
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. swing — music
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. swing — in golf
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. capital — money
  15. race — the arms race
  16. firm — decided
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. firm — a company
  19. race — a contest
  20. swing — to play on
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bat — for baseball

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