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: season · bear · nail · fine · bank · land · cue · wake

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. season — of the year
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — the animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. cue — a signal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. season — in sport
  12. land — ground
  13. wake — a trail
  14. land — a country
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bank — for money
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. land — to come down

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