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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fall — the season
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bank — for money
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — soda
  9. ground — a position
  10. mate — to breed
  11. branch — a division
  12. ball — a great time
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pop — music
  16. ground — the earth
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bank — of a river
  20. sharp — clever
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fall — to drop

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