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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bank — for money
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. lean — thin
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bank — of a river
  10. last — final
  11. lean — to bend
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. kid — child
  14. bank — for money
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. object — to protest
  18. deal — to handle
  19. object — an aim
  20. last — finally
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. kid — to tease
  23. object — a thing
  24. last — to go on

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