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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bank — for money
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. clip — a video
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bank — for money
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kick — in football
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. clip — to cut
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. clip — for paper
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. pass — to spend 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