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: club · spell · bear · pound · hand · cabinet · rash · bank

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — magic
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. club — for golf
  14. hand — in cards
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — a short time
  17. bank — of a river
  18. hand — help
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pound — a weight
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. club — a group
  24. club — for dancing

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