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 124 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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. rock — a stone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — in music
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bank — of a river
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. field — for sport
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. field — farmland
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. key — the most important part
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rock — music
  23. field — a subject
  24. pass — a permit

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