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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. present — there
  4. present — a gift
  5. bank — for money
  6. spell — letters
  7. fall — the season
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. drill — a practice
  13. spell — magic
  14. drill — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bank — of a river
  18. drill — army training
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. saw — the tool
  21. spell — a short time
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bank — for money

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