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: patient · key · safe · kid · saw · temple · shower · bank

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. kid — to tease
  3. shower — rain
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. key — the most important part
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. kid — child
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. bank — of a river
  21. key — in music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. key — for a lock
  24. shower — to wash

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