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: lean · bear · file · bank · rock · squash · chair · pass

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. bank — for money
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. file — a tool
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. squash — to crush
  14. file — a line of people
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bank — for money
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. rock — music
  23. lean — thin
  24. squash — the sport

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