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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — to recline
  5. sharp — clever
  6. club — a group
  7. spell — letters
  8. field — a subject
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — a short time
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bank — of a river
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. club — for dancing
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — farmland
  24. lie — an untruth

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