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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. track — to keep track
  5. season — of the year
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bank — for money
  11. bear — the animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. track — a path
  14. drill — army training
  15. board — a committee
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. board — to get on
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — a song
  24. season — in sport

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