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 120 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 · bank · land · bear · deal · present · face · band

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. land — ground
  3. land — a country
  4. bear — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. present — a gift
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — there
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. face — to confront
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. present — the time now
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. band — a music group
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — part of the head
  20. band — a ring
  21. bank — for money
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. land — to come down
  24. band — a rubber band

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