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: net · foot · plane · hand · present · jam · straw · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. net — after costs
  3. bank — for money
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. net — for catching
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. present — the time now
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. hand — help
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. present — a gift
  18. foot — a measure
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. present — there
  23. hand — in cards
  24. net — in 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