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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. drill — army training
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — the amount
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — to play on
  8. spell — letters
  9. branch — a division
  10. bank — for money
  11. content — happy
  12. spell — magic
  13. drill — the tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bank — of a river
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. spell — a short time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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