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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. spell — letters
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bank — for money
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. spell — magic
  14. key — in music
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stock — shares
  23. bank — for money
  24. stock — goods

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