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: cold · craft · safe · bat · lash · firm · bore · land

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. land — to come down
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bore — to drill
  8. land — a country
  9. firm — decided
  10. cold — an illness
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bat — the animal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. craft — boats
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. craft — a skill
  21. bore — to tire
  22. firm — a company
  23. cold — not warm
  24. firm — steady

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