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: foot · wind · cabinet · hand · bank · march · bore · rock

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. march — the month
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. march — the month
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bank — for money
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. bank — for money
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bank — of a river
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. march — music
  19. foot — a measure
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. wind — moving air

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