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 the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. fine — high quality
  3. land — a country
  4. bank — for money
  5. fine — all right
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. land — to come down
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. shower — to wash
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. branch — a division
  14. bank — for money
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. stand — to bear
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mug — a face
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. mug — to rob
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. shower — rain

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