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: swing · roll · date · scale · bank · rush · nail · tear

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. swing — to play on
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. scale — in music
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. tear — to rip
  8. bank — for money
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rush — hurry
  12. swing — music
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. roll — a list
  18. scale — size or range
  19. roll — a cake
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. date — the fruit
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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