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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rock — music
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — a stone
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. last — final
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. last — finally
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chest — a box
  17. last — to go on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. chest — of your body
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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