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: present · rest · pass · track · bank · hand · ground · squash

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bank — for money
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bank — for money
  5. present — a gift
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — a position
  10. track — a song
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ground — crushed
  14. present — the time now
  15. ground — the earth
  16. present — there
  17. rest — what's left
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. squash — the sport
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rest — a break
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. squash — to crush

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