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: fine · object · lie · cold · cap · bank · row · net

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — an aim
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bank — for money
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cold — an illness
  10. object — to protest
  11. net — in sport
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cold — not warm
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bank — of a river
  19. object — a thing
  20. cap — a hat
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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