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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bank — for money
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wind — moving air
  9. track — a path
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. game — a match
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. toast — bread
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — a song
  21. wind — moving air
  22. game — wild animals
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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