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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — for money
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bank — for money
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. game — a match
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — of water
  19. rest — a break
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. wound — an injury

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