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: can · bank · file · bowl · nail · row · bay · wax

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. can — a tin
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. file — a tool
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. can — a tin
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bank — for money
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. row — to paddle
  24. file — a document

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