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: bank · stick · bulb · game · bay · nail · wind · coach

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. game — a match
  4. bank — for money
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wind — moving air
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bank — for money
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. game — wild animals
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — for a hammer

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