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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bank — for money
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bank — of a river
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bound — certain
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. rock — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bound — tied together
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wound — an injury

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