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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. mate — a partner
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bank — of a river
  4. mate — a friend
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. tear — from crying
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. last — final
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — from crying
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. spell — magic
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spell — letters
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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