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 116 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: spring · rule · bank · wave · trunk · racket · land · lean

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. spring — of water
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lean — to bend
  7. spring — a coil
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — government
  12. lean — thin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rule — a law
  15. land — ground
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bank — of a river
  18. land — a country
  19. bank — for money
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. land — to come down
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bank — for money

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