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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. band — a music group
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mine — for digging
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. race — humankind
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — the arms race
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. band — a ring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bank — for money
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rock — music

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