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: rash · pound · rush · staff · pitcher · bank · club · ball

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bank — for money
  12. rash — hasty
  13. staff — employees
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pound — a weight
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — a stick
  20. rash — a series
  21. club — for dancing
  22. staff — employees
  23. rush — hurry
  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