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 116 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: march · degree · rock · bear · bank · land · bay · pit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pit — a hole
  3. degree — from a university
  4. rock — music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. land — ground
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bank — for money
  10. land — a country
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. march — the month
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — a stone
  20. march — the month
  21. land — to come down
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. march — music
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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