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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bank — for money
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. row — a line
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bank — of a river
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rock — music
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. roll — a cake
  15. board — to get on
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. row — to paddle
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rock — a stone
  24. board — a committee

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