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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fall — the season
  4. lean — thin
  5. key — the most important part
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. key — in music
  10. row — a line
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bank — for money
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. race — a contest
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. race — humankind
  17. bank — for money
  18. lean — to bend
  19. row — to paddle
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. shower — rain
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mouse — the animal

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