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: band · wound · hide · cue · face · bay · ground · bank

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. ground — a position
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. face — to confront
  12. wound — an injury
  13. face — to point toward
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cue — a signal
  16. band — a ring
  17. ground — crushed
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ground — the earth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hide — animal skin

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