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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. tube — a container
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. shower — rain
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tear — to rip
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pass — a permit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. shower — to wash

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