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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. spell — magic
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — electricity
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bank — of a river
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. mine — for digging
  13. charge — a price
  14. firm — a company
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. charge — in control
  18. bank — for money
  19. squash — the sport
  20. firm — decided
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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