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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tear — from crying
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. spell — letters
  13. branch — a division
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — a short time
  16. can — a tin
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. tear — from crying
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spell — magic

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