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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. prune — to trim
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rock — music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ground — crushed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. season — of the year
  14. bank — for money
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rest — a break
  24. season — in sport

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