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: safe · bank · lean · trunk · lie · rash · bat · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rash — a series
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. pop — to visit
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — thin
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — to rest against

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