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: bank · rest · chest · current · fine · wound · mouse · arm

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chest — a box
  8. wound — an injury
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fine — all right
  13. current — electric
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bank — for money
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wound — an injury
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rest — a break
  23. current — of water
  24. mouse — for a computer

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