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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. land — ground
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bank — of a river
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. land — to come down
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. land — a country

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