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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — the most important part
  4. last — final
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. court — for sport
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. press — to push
  9. last — finally
  10. bank — for money
  11. key — for a lock
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — electricity
  14. press — a publisher
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. game — wild animals
  17. charge — in control
  18. last — to go on
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. key — in music
  21. court — of a king
  22. court — of law
  23. charge — a price
  24. press — newspapers

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