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: safe · hand · bank · capital · bay · perch · calf · row

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. bank — of a river
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bank — for money
  7. perch — the fish
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bank — for money
  13. hand — help
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. row — to paddle
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a line
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — 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