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 116 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: key · land · fork · band · wake · bank · tube · vault

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. band — a music group
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. vault — a safe
  6. tube — the underground
  7. bank — for money
  8. key — for a lock
  9. land — a country
  10. bank — for money
  11. land — ground
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. land — to come down
  16. key — in music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wake — a trail
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. band — a ring
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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