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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fine — high quality
  5. cell — in biology
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. suit — clothes
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fine — all right
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cell — a phone
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bank — for money
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bank — for money
  20. row — to paddle
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. prune — to trim
  24. suit — in cards

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