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: plane · shower · pop · safe · mark · bank · deal · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. pop — soda
  7. mark — a grade
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. shower — to wash
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. shower — rain

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