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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. spell — magic
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. bound — tied together
  12. mark — a trace
  13. spell — letters
  14. bank — for money
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. stock — goods
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ruler — for measuring

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