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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. content — happy
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — to wash
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. drill — army training
  9. bank — for money
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spell — a short time
  14. shower — rain
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. drill — the tool
  18. spell — letters
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. spell — magic
  24. safe — out of danger

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