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: bank · mine · coach · bowl · rash · mate · ball · spring

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. bank — for money
  3. rash — a series
  4. spring — the season
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bank — of a river
  9. spring — of water
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mine — for digging
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. spring — a coil
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bank — for money
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. mine — belonging to me

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