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: chip · present · pitcher · suit · fall · lie · spring · bank

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. fall — the season
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. present — there
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — to eat
  17. suit — to fit
  18. fall — to drop
  19. spring — a coil
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — clothes
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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