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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. toast — bread
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. current — of water
  6. game — a match
  7. bank — of a river
  8. race — a contest
  9. current — electric
  10. tear — from crying
  11. current — happening now
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. race — humankind
  14. pop — music
  15. tear — from crying
  16. race — the arms race
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. tear — to rip
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. game — wild animals
  24. leaves — to go away

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