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 116 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: current · pit · rest · safe · fan · straw · vault · swing

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rest — what's left
  4. current — electric
  5. swing — music
  6. rest — a break
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pit — in a race
  12. current — happening now
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. swing — in golf
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rest — what's left
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. current — of water
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — a supporter

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