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: key · spell · wake · bank · swing · fork · board · leaves

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. spell — letters
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. swing — music
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. spell — a short time
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. key — in music
  11. board — to get on
  12. wake — a trail
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — for a lock
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. swing — to play on
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. spell — magic
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fork — in a road
  21. swing — in golf
  22. board — a committee
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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