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: fall · bank · vault · content · bowl · stem · arm · bound

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bank — for money
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bound — obliged
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. content — happy
  10. vault — a safe
  11. fall — to drop
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bank — for money
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fall — the season
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bound — certain
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. content — the amount

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