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: rush · mug · fall · lie · object · bank · trunk · hand

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bank — for money
  3. mug — a cup
  4. object — to protest
  5. hand — help
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — hurry
  8. object — an aim
  9. hand — in cards
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bank — of a river
  12. object — a thing
  13. mug — a face
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. fall — the season
  16. bank — for money
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fall — to drop

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