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: current · staff · cabinet · fall · spring · bank · temple · saw

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. current — electric
  5. bank — for money
  6. staff — a stick
  7. saw — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — of water
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fall — to drop
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — employees
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. fall — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fall — to drop
  20. current — happening now
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. spring — the season
  24. cabinet — ministers

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