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: roll · clip · date · bay · deal · bank · spell · land

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. land — ground
  9. spell — letters
  10. clip — to cut
  11. clip — for paper
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. spell — magic
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. land — to come down
  19. clip — a video
  20. roll — a cake
  21. deal — to handle
  22. roll — a list
  23. land — a country
  24. date — on the calendar

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