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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ground — crushed
  6. club — for golf
  7. ground — a position
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. club — a group
  10. prune — to trim
  11. row — a line
  12. mate — to breed
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mate — a partner
  16. prune — to trim
  17. spell — magic
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bank — of a river
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. club — for dancing
  23. spell — letters
  24. bank — for money

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