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 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. can — to be able to
  3. shower — rain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. current — happening now
  6. press — a publisher
  7. current — electric
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. current — of water
  13. bark — to shout
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bound — certain
  16. can — a tin
  17. bank — for money
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. press — to push
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bound — tied together
  23. can — a tin
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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