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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spring — the season
  5. stock — shares
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rock — music
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stock — goods
  10. rock — a stone
  11. spring — of water
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bank — for money
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — in music
  22. drill — a practice
  23. spring — a coil
  24. drill — army training

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