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: mine · pitch · trunk · rush · straw · bank · deal · bear

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bank — of a river
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mine — for digging
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bank — for money
  24. trunk — of a tree

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