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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — ground
  4. object — to protest
  5. spell — a short time
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. land — to come down
  9. spell — magic
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rock — music
  13. object — an aim
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. band — a ring
  19. object — a thing
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. land — a country
  22. spell — letters
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — of a river

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