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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bank — for money
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bank — for money
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. band — a music group
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bank — of a river
  15. band — a ring
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. content — happy
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. wind — moving air
  23. content — the amount
  24. wake — a trail

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