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: toast · fall · band · degree · lean · bark · bank · cabinet

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. toast — bread
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bank — for money
  9. degree — temperature
  10. band — a music group
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — to bend
  15. band — a ring
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lean — thin
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. fall — to drop
  20. degree — an amount
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fall — the season
  24. degree — from a university

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