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

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bank — of a river
  8. shower — rain
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — a stick
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. file — a line of people
  19. file — a tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. file — a document
  24. straw — dry grass

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