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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bank — for money
  4. wound — an injury
  5. degree — temperature
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — of a river
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fall — the season
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. rock — music
  17. degree — an amount
  18. track — a song
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rock — a stone
  24. wound — an injury

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