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: sharp · bank · net · last · pound · lie · cap · spring

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — the season
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cap — a hat
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. net — after costs
  9. last — to go on
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. net — for catching
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pound — a weight
  20. last — finally
  21. bank — for money
  22. cap — a lid
  23. last — final
  24. lie — an untruth

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