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: fall · firm · scale · drill · safe · bank · wake · pop

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wake — a trail
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. scale — in music
  5. firm — a company
  6. fall — to drop
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. drill — army training
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bank — for money
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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