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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mark — a trace
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. bank — for money
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — to get on
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. board — a committee
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. club — for golf
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. mark — a grade
  18. swing — in golf
  19. club — a group
  20. swing — to play on
  21. wake — a trail
  22. net — for catching
  23. swing — music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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