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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bank — for money
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ball — a great time
  11. net — for catching
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. shower — rain
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hand — help
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. bear — the animal

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