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: nail · roll · degree · bound · spring · saw · safe · bank

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bound — certain
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. degree — an amount
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — of a river
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bound — tied together
  11. degree — from a university
  12. spring — a coil
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bound — obliged
  15. spring — the season
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. saw — the tool
  21. roll — a list
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. roll — a cake

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