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 124 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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cell — in biology
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wind — moving air
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rock — music
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wind — moving air

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