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: ball · roll · bay · last · saw · dip · bank · current

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — to sink
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. current — electric
  18. last — to go on
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. bank — for money
  21. last — final
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. last — finally

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