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: fan · mate · bank · dip · straw · firm · tear · safe

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bank — for money
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. tear — from crying
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mate — to breed
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mate — a friend
  16. firm — decided
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — to dunk

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