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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. march — the month
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mug — a face
  6. bat — the animal
  7. march — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. march — the month
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. current — electric
  13. mug — to rob
  14. current — happening now
  15. bank — for money
  16. current — of water
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. pound — a weight
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bank — for money
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. bank — of a river

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