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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. file — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. present — there
  6. present — a gift
  7. bank — for money
  8. pass — a permit
  9. file — a line of people
  10. rule — government
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rule — a law
  15. file — a document
  16. chair — a leader
  17. pop — music
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. present — the time now
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. pop — soda
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. pass — to succeed

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