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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bank — of a river
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. track — a path
  8. craft — boats
  9. rest — what's left
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — a break
  13. fall — the season
  14. spell — magic
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fall — to drop
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. spell — a short time
  20. track — a song
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — letters
  24. craft — a skill

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