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 124 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. bank — for money
  5. board — a committee
  6. object — an aim
  7. wound — an injury
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a line
  13. board — to get on
  14. rest — a break
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. rest — what's left
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rest — what's left
  20. object — a thing
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pound — a weight

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