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: tube · current · roll · fall · leaves · mug · bank · pound

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. current — of water
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. current — happening now
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bank — for money
  9. mug — a face
  10. roll — a list
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pound — a weight
  20. fall — the season
  21. mug — a cup
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. current — electric
  24. tube — a container

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