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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bank — of a river
  4. march — the month
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. march — the month
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. roll — a cake
  15. mark — a grade
  16. roll — a list
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. march — music
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bank — for money
  24. deal — to handle

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