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: fine · mate · mark · snap · deal · bank · file · shower

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bank — for money
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mate — a partner
  7. snap — to click
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. file — a tool
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fine — all right
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bank — for money
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. file — a document
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mate — to breed
  21. shower — rain
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fine — a penalty

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