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: arm · spring · net · root · leaves · bank · pitcher · scale

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bank — for money
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bank — for money
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bank — of a river
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. root — the cause
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spring — a coil
  13. scale — in music
  14. spring — of water
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. root — of a word
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. spring — the season
  19. net — in sport
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — for catching
  24. leaves — lets stay

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