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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bank — for money
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. field — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. field — a subject
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. field — farmland
  22. rush — hurry
  23. kid — child
  24. bat — 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