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 120 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. shower — rain
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bank — of a river
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — to wash
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. row — a line
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. net — for catching
  18. row — to paddle
  19. net — in sport
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bank — for money
  22. net — after costs
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wind — moving air

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