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: foot · bank · rash · bay · ball · rush · board · clip

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. board — a committee
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — for money
  8. board — to get on
  9. clip — to cut
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — a video
  24. rash — a series

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