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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. land — to come down
  3. key — in music
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. wind — moving air
  12. fall — to drop
  13. branch — a division
  14. fall — the season
  15. land — a country
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. land — ground
  19. key — for a lock
  20. firm — steady
  21. bank — for money
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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