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: deal · kick · bark · mate · nail · bank · scale · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bank — for money
  3. mate — to breed
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bank — for money
  11. scale — size or range
  12. kick — in football
  13. deal — to handle
  14. scale — in music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mate — a partner
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pop — soda
  19. mate — a friend
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. deal — an agreement

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