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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cap — of ice
  3. net — in sport
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cap — a lid
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mate — a friend
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. net — for catching
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bank — for money
  17. net — after costs
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rest — what's left
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cap — a hat
  23. rest — a break
  24. bowl — a football final

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