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 · lean · shower · straw · capital · dip · bound · rock

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. capital — money
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bound — tied together
  13. shower — to wash
  14. lean — thin
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — certain
  23. capital — a city
  24. lean — to bend

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