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 120 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: coach · pit · cell · cabinet · dip · rest · bank · wind

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cell — in biology
  13. dip — to sink
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bank — for money
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rest — what's left

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