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: present · cap · lie · march · bank · hand · race · calf

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — the time now
  6. march — the month
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. lie — to recline
  9. march — the month
  10. hand — help
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — in cards
  15. race — a contest
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — a gift
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. march — music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. race — humankind
  22. present — there
  23. race — the arms race
  24. cap — a hat

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