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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. track — to keep track
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. track — a path
  7. fall — to drop
  8. root — of a word
  9. track — a song
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. root — the cause
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bank — of a river

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