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: nail · ground · row · bowl · staff · bank · bound · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fall — to drop
  4. row — a line
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. staff — employees
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — certain
  14. fall — to drop
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bank — for money
  18. staff — employees
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. staff — a stick
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bank — for money

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