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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  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. fan — to cool the air
  2. spring — the season
  3. bank — of a river
  4. row — to paddle
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mug — a face
  9. lean — thin
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. tube — a container
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. row — a line
  16. bank — for money
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tube — the underground
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  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