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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. game — a match
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. branch — a division
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. degree — from a university
  10. kick — in football
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. degree — an amount
  16. bank — of a river
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. game — wild animals
  21. land — ground
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — for money
  24. degree — temperature

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