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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cold — an illness
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. current — of water
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. staff — employees
  11. court — for sport
  12. current — electric
  13. staff — employees
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bank — for money
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bank — of a river
  21. court — of a king
  22. cold — not warm
  23. court — of law
  24. current — happening now

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