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: wake · bound · mark · ball · pass · bank · net · bark

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bank — for money
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mark — a grade
  7. net — after costs
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. net — in sport
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. net — for catching
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bound — certain
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ball — a great time

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