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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. race — humankind
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bank — for money
  15. hand — help
  16. race — the arms race
  17. race — a contest
  18. pitcher — a jug

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