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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. current — of water
  3. spell — magic
  4. bank — for money
  5. current — happening now
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mug — a cup
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mug — a face
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bank — of a river
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. spell — letters
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — electric

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