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: bank · jam · hide · wake · bay · suit · rest · field

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rest — what's left
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — in cards
  7. field — farmland
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. field — for sport
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wake — a trail
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. field — a subject
  20. rest — a break
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. hide — to keep secret

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