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 116 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: fan · capital · mouse · vault · bank · pitcher · dip · lash

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bank — of a river
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. capital — a city
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fan — a supporter

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