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: lie · hand · bank · bark · bat · safe · chest · plane

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bank — for money
  11. hand — help
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lie — to recline
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bat — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. chest — of your body

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