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: pound · lie · dip · last · wake · spell · scale · bank

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. spell — a short time
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. spell — magic
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — final
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. scale — in music
  16. last — to go on
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pound — a weight
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wake — a trail
  23. last — finally
  24. lie — to recline

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