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: content · present · deal · wound · bank · band · club · leaves

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. present — the time now
  3. content — happy
  4. club — for golf
  5. wound — an injury
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bank — of a river
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. band — a music group
  10. bank — for money
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. wound — an injury
  17. present — there
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. present — a gift
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. club — a group
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — of a tree

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