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: fall · lie · pass · ground · band · shower · content · bank

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bank — for money
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — rain
  6. band — a ring
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bank — of a river
  10. content — the amount
  11. pass — a permit
  12. ground — a position
  13. content — happy
  14. fall — the season
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — for money
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. band — a music group
  24. fall — to drop

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