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: bank · bay · kid · bear · safe · net · stock · bass

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. kid — child
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kid — to tease
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. bank — of a river
  16. net — for catching
  17. bass — low music
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. net — in sport
  20. bass — the fish
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — for money
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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