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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a music group
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. band — a ring
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bank — for money
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. wind — moving air
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. track — a song
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. track — a path
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — of a river

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