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: deal · safe · pass · spring · degree · bank · leaves · land

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. bank — of a river
  3. degree — from a university
  4. land — ground
  5. pass — a permit
  6. degree — temperature
  7. spring — the season
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — to handle
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. land — a country
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bank — for money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. spring — of water
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. degree — an amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pass — to spend time

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