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: bay · pitcher · bank · branch · fan · lie · rule · band

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rule — a law
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lie — to recline
  11. band — a music group
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. branch — a division
  23. band — a ring
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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