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: patient · bank · safe · bore · trunk · kick · shower · bound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. bound — obliged
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. shower — to wash
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bank — for money
  15. kick — in football
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bound — certain
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bore — to tire
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. shower — rain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. patient — a sick person

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