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: bark · straw · wake · court · suit · bank · hand · safe

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. suit — clothes
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. court — for sport
  7. bank — for money
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bank — of a river
  10. suit — in cards
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. court — of a king
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wake — a trail
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. court — of law
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bank — for money
  22. hand — help
  23. bark — to shout
  24. hand — part of the body

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