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 120 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: race · stick · bank · board · press · rest · suit · prune

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. board — a committee
  4. press — a publisher
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. rest — what's left
  8. race — humankind
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. race — a contest
  12. press — to push
  13. rest — what's left
  14. race — the arms race
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rest — a break
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — for money
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. prune — to trim
  24. press — newspapers

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