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: rock · bank · mark · stick · pitcher · cabinet · fan · game

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rock — music
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. bank — of a river
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bank — for money

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