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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. net — for catching
  3. spell — letters
  4. net — in sport
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pop — soda
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bound — tied together
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bank — for money
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. net — after costs
  23. spell — magic
  24. bank — of a river

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