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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. rush — hurry
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bank — for money
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pop — soda
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. bank — of a river
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. tube — a container
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. suit — clothes
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — the most important part
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pop — music

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