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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — to trim
  8. hand — in cards
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. wound — an injury
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. bank — of a river
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — hasty
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. fork — in a road

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