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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. bank — for money
  3. root — the cause
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. root — of a word
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. current — of water
  11. hand — in cards
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. hand — help
  15. current — electric
  16. net — for catching
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bank — for money
  22. current — happening now
  23. wake — a trail
  24. root — of a plant

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