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: track · safe · trunk · chest · bank · wind · row · pop

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. row — a line
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. row — to paddle
  6. wind — moving air
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bank — for money
  10. wind — moving air
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. bank — of a river
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. chest — a box
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pop — to visit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bank — for money

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