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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pound — a weight
  8. content — the amount
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. spell — magic
  11. drill — the tool
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. content — happy
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. drill — army training
  17. bank — for money
  18. spell — letters
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. drill — a practice
  24. spell — a short time

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