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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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. cap — a lid
  4. ground — a position
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. track — a path
  8. ground — crushed
  9. current — happening now
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stock — shares
  15. bank — for money
  16. clip — a video
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ground — the earth
  21. current — of water
  22. track — a song
  23. rush — hurry
  24. current — electric

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