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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. spell — letters
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. fine — all right
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. spell — magic
  20. ground — crushed
  21. fine — high quality
  22. ground — a position
  23. pit — in a race
  24. spell — a short time

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