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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bear — the animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. net — after costs
  5. net — in sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. field — for sport
  9. field — farmland
  10. race — the arms race
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bank — for money
  13. saw — the tool
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. race — humankind
  18. saw — the tool
  19. net — for catching
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. field — a subject
  22. bear — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. race — a contest

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