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

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. row — to paddle
  6. spell — magic
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. shower — rain
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bank — for money
  12. shower — to wash
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cap — a lid
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. spell — letters
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — a line
  23. bank — of a river
  24. spell — a short time

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