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: scale · cold · safe · drill · rock · stick · last · swing

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. last — final
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cold — an illness
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cold — not warm
  14. drill — army training
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. rock — music
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. swing — music
  20. swing — to play on
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. drill — the tool

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