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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — to protest
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ground — the earth
  13. object — a thing
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ground — a position
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bank — for money
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ball — a great time
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ball — a dance

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