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: key · bank · vault · roll · lash · wound · saw · dip

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. saw — the tool
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. wound — an injury
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. dip — to sink
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. vault — a safe
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wound — an injury
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. roll — a list
  20. saw — the tool
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. key — for a lock
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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