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: bank · wave · pound · leaves · wound · lean · last · ground

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. last — to go on
  5. bank — for money
  6. lean — thin
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — to bend
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wound — an injury
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. ground — a position
  24. last — final

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