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: mug · chest · toast · pitcher · bank · saw · stock · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — bread
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mug — a cup
  9. chest — a box
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mug — a face
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mug — to rob
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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