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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bound — certain
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bound — tied together
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. content — the amount
  19. bark — to shout
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. content — happy
  23. bank — for money
  24. content — videos and posts

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