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: fan · cabinet · rush · deal · bank · date · patient · ball

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rush — hurry
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ball — a dance
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bank — for money
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — a big deal

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