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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. can — a tin
  3. hand — help
  4. land — ground
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. land — to come down
  7. land — a country
  8. bank — of a river
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — decided
  12. last — final
  13. hand — in cards
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. firm — a company
  17. scale — in music
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. firm — steady
  20. can — to be able to
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. bank — for money
  24. hand — part of the body

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