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: drill · fine · bank · bat · suit · rush · bowl · foot

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. fine — all right
  4. rush — hurry
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. suit — to fit
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. drill — the tool
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bank — for money

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