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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. last — to go on
  6. rock — music
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. last — final
  13. deal — to handle
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rock — a stone
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — a thrill

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