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: leaves · bank · board · dip · shower · tube · pit · game

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. game — a match
  4. tube — a container
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. shower — rain
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bank — for money
  12. pit — in a race
  13. dip — to sink
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. tube — the underground
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bank — of a river
  21. board — a committee
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. board — to get on

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