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: bay · bank · coach · spring · last · race · wake · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. last — final
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bank — for money
  11. saw — the tool
  12. race — humankind
  13. last — finally
  14. wake — a trail
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. last — to go on
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. race — the arms race
  20. bank — for money
  21. race — a contest
  22. spring — a coil
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bay — a horse colour

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