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 · mine · ball · straw · file · wind · squash · bore

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bank — for money
  3. file — a document
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. file — a line of people
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. file — a tool
  15. mine — for digging
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bank — for money
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. wind — moving air
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. squash — to crush

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