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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. mine — for digging
  3. current — happening now
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. face — to confront
  6. bound — certain
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. last — finally
  9. current — electric
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bound — tied together
  14. root — the cause
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bound — obliged
  19. current — of water
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bank — for money
  22. last — final
  23. root — of a word
  24. bank — of a river

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