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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. season — in sport
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. season — of the year
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — to breed
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — to tire
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. hand — in cards
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cold — an illness
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hand — help
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cold — not warm
  24. season — to add flavour

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