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: spring · spell · firm · plane · bank · pound · rock · race

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. spring — a coil
  3. race — the arms race
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — a stone
  6. firm — steady
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spell — magic
  9. race — humankind
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. rock — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. spring — the season
  15. spell — letters
  16. bank — of a river
  17. firm — decided
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. spell — a short time
  24. race — a contest

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