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 120 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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bank — of a river
  3. charge — in control
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. swing — in golf
  6. rock — music
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pit — in a race
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — a price
  16. swing — music
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — a phone
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bank — for money
  22. swing — to play on
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rock — a stone

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