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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. clip — to cut
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bank — of a river
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to click
  24. mouse — the animal

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