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 124 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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pop — music
  4. spring — of water
  5. pop — soda
  6. object — to protest
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — an aim
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. object — a thing
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. face — to point toward
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — a permit
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. hide — animal skin

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