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: shower · fan · cell · object · can · key · bank · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. bank — for money
  3. hand — in cards
  4. key — for a lock
  5. bank — for money
  6. hand — help
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. object — a thing
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. cell — in biology
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cell — a phone
  13. can — a tin
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. object — an aim
  16. can — a tin
  17. shower — to wash
  18. object — to protest
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — in music
  21. shower — rain
  22. key — the most important part
  23. can — to be able to
  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