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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — to protest
  4. mug — a cup
  5. object — an aim
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. object — a thing
  8. band — a music group
  9. bank — of a river
  10. spell — magic
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pop — music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pop — soda
  17. band — a ring
  18. mug — a face
  19. pop — to visit
  20. spell — letters
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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