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 120 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: pop · wound · bank · bear · lash · rock · present · key

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. pop — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — of a river
  6. present — a gift
  7. key — in music
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bank — for money
  10. key — the most important part
  11. present — the time now
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rock — a stone
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. present — there

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