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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. roll — a list
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bound — tied together
  11. roll — a cake
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. tear — to rip
  15. rest — a break
  16. bass — low music
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bank — for money
  23. rest — what's left
  24. tear — from crying

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