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 · cabinet · game · toast · stock · tear · pit · roll

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pit — in a race
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bank — for money
  5. toast — bread
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. pit — a hole
  9. tear — from crying
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. roll — a cake
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. tear — to rip
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bank — of a river
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. tear — from crying
  21. game — a match
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. stock — goods

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