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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lie — to recline
  3. season — of the year
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. race — the arms race
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. race — a contest
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. race — humankind
  14. prune — to trim
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bank — for money
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. season — in sport
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bay — a horse colour

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