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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. spell — letters
  5. bear — the animal
  6. perch — the fish
  7. spell — a short time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. wake — a trail
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. spell — magic
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. race — a contest
  17. ball — a dance
  18. race — humankind
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. bank — for money
  24. race — the arms race

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