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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — all right
  3. bass — the fish
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — low music
  9. key — in music
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fine — high quality
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bank — of a river
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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