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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stand — to bear
  7. snap — to click
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bank — for money
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cell — a phone

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