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 · bark · face · bank · bass · fan · calf · mate

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bass — the fish
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. face — to confront
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bark — to shout
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mate — a friend
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bank — for money
  17. rush — hurry
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bass — low music
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bank — for money
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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