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: mouse · leaves · bat · bank · foot · stock · pass · bark

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bat — the animal
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. stock — goods
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stock — shares
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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