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: racket · charge · track · bank · mine · drill · wax · foot

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. track — a song
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bank — for money
  7. charge — electricity
  8. track — a path
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — in control
  11. track — to keep track
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — a price
  18. drill — army training
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. drill — the tool
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. drill — a practice
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wax — in the ear

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