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: row · bay · bank · firm · pound · arm · present · leaves

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bank — for money
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. row — a line
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. present — a gift
  11. firm — steady
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pound — a weight
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. bank — of a river
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bank — for money
  24. row — a quarrel

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