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: bank · land · arm · row · face · chair · track · dip

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — a song
  4. dip — to sink
  5. face — to confront
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. row — a line
  9. face — to point toward
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. land — ground
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a path
  14. bank — of a river
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. track — to keep track
  19. land — a country
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. face — part of the head
  23. land — to come down
  24. chair — a leader

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