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 120 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: shower · firm · perch · present · bank · stem · safe · band

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — a company
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. band — a music group
  7. perch — the fish
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. firm — steady
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. present — the time now
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. firm — decided
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — there
  18. band — a ring
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. present — a gift
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bank — of a river
  23. shower — rain
  24. stem — to come from

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