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: bank · wake · fork · march · net · season · rock · foot

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bank — for money
  4. rock — a stone
  5. foot — a measure
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. march — the month
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. march — music
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. march — the month
  18. net — for catching
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. rock — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. net — after costs
  24. bank — of a river

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