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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wake — a trail
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. club — for dancing
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mug — a cup
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mug — a face
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. kick — in football
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mug — to rob
  15. bank — for money
  16. bear — the animal
  17. club — for golf
  18. lean — to bend
  19. club — a group
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. kick — a thrill

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