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: straw · safe · spell · bowl · branch · fan · track · rush

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. track — a song
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. track — a path
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. branch — a division
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. spell — magic
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. spell — a short time
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rush — hurry
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spell — letters
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. safe — out of danger

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