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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bat — the animal
  6. track — a path
  7. present — there
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bank — of a river
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. scale — size or range
  15. track — a song
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — the time now
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. scale — in music
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. present — a gift
  24. track — to keep track

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