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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. band — a music group
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bank — for money
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — in cards
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bear — the animal
  19. band — a ring
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. suit — clothes

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