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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. race — the arms race
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bank — for money
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. race — a contest
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bound — certain
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — an illness
  19. race — humankind
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cold — not warm
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. lean — thin

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