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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — the sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — obliged
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — a line
  12. row — to paddle
  13. present — a gift
  14. squash — to crush
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. track — a song
  18. present — the time now
  19. track — to keep track
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bound — certain
  22. track — a path
  23. bank — of a river
  24. leaves — of a tree

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