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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · rock · bowl · safe · tear · straw · season · bass

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. tear — to rip
  8. season — in sport
  9. tear — from crying
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. season — of the year
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bass — low music
  19. rock — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bowl — to roll

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