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 120 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. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bank — for money
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. staff — employees
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. foot — a measure
  12. game — a match
  13. bank — of a river
  14. game — wild animals
  15. staff — employees
  16. bark — to shout
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rest — a break
  20. band — a ring
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — an injury
  24. band — a music group

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