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 116 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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fine — all right
  4. kick — in football
  5. ground — crushed
  6. wax — to grow
  7. ball — a dance
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ground — a position
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bank — for money
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bank — of a river
  17. ball — a great time
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fine — high quality
  23. perch — the fish
  24. sharp — exactly

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