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: squash · bank · vault · capital · lean · rock · mouse · shower

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. capital — a city
  12. capital — money
  13. squash — the sport
  14. shower — rain
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. rock — music
  22. lean — to bend
  23. bank — of a river
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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