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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. court — for sport
  7. lie — to recline
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. court — of law
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. snap — to click
  21. bank — for money
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — of a king
  24. bulb — for light

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