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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. lie — to recline
  4. cell — in biology
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bank — of a river
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. cell — a phone
  12. bank — for money
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — the season
  15. bass — low music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bass — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wound — an injury
  21. spring — a coil
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bass — the instrument
  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