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 · leaves · roll · temple · mine · last · lean · race

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. race — humankind
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. roll — a list
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lean — thin
  7. last — final
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. race — a contest
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. roll — a cake
  17. race — the arms race
  18. last — finally
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. last — to go on
  21. bank — for money
  22. mine — for digging
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. lean — to bend

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