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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. dip — to sink
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bank — of a river
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lean — thin
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. key — for a lock
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — a practice
  15. key — in music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. lean — to bend
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitch — completely
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. lean — to rest against

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