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 · straw · last · suit · spring · track · press · rush

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. spring — of water
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bank — for money
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bank — of a river
  8. track — to keep track
  9. press — to push
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rush — hurry
  12. last — final
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. press — newspapers
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. last — to go on
  19. track — a song
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bank — for money
  22. track — a path
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. last — finally

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