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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. row — to paddle
  3. club — a group
  4. bank — for money
  5. club — for dancing
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. row — a line
  10. charge — in control
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. race — humankind
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. lie — to recline
  19. club — for golf
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stand — to bear
  22. charge — a price
  23. chip — for betting
  24. race — a contest

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