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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — for money
  3. rest — a break
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. degree — from a university
  8. can — to be able to
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — temperature
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rest — what's left
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — a tin

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