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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. land — ground
  13. content — the amount
  14. wound — an injury
  15. content — happy
  16. bank — of a river
  17. object — to protest
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. land — a country
  21. craft — boats
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wound — an injury
  24. land — to come down

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