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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · craft · cell · bank · band · bear

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — a phone
  7. band — a music group
  8. bear — the animal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. craft — boats
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. squash — the sport
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bank — for money
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. band — a ring
  17. bank — of a river
  18. squash — to crush

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