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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bank — for money
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bank — for money
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bank — of a river
  11. hand — help
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hand — in cards
  24. calf — a young animal

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