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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rest — a break
  6. bound — certain
  7. bank — for money
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — shares
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — goods
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bank — for money

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