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: bank · racket · bore · calf · key · rush · season · wind

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. key — in music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — for money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. key — the most important part
  15. wind — moving air
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. key — for a lock
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. wind — moving air
  23. season — of the year
  24. wind — to turn a key

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