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: bay · content · fork · fine · rest · bank · bowl · chest

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rest — a break
  7. content — happy
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. bank — for money
  15. chest — a box
  16. content — the amount
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fine — all right
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — in a road
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — a dish

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