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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bank — for money
  3. ground — a position
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. can — a tin
  6. firm — a company
  7. bank — of a river
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. firm — decided
  10. can — a tin
  11. present — there
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. bank — for money
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. can — to be able to
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. firm — steady
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wave — of the sea

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