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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — a committee
  17. track — a path
  18. board — to get on
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pitch — completely
  22. kid — child
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. track — a song

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