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: drill · bank · safe · bay · tube · ball · ruler · rush

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bank — of a river
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. ball — a dance
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bank — for money
  13. drill — the tool
  14. ball — a great time
  15. tube — a container
  16. drill — army training
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. safe — a strongbox

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