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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bank — for money
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bass — low music
  6. spell — magic
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — there
  9. rule — a law
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. spell — a short time
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rule — government
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bank — for money
  16. mark — a grade
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — help
  20. present — the time now
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — in music
  23. present — a gift
  24. spell — letters

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