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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bank — for money
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. kick — in football
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. pop — to visit
  12. board — to get on
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. board — a committee
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mine — for digging
  17. season — in sport
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pop — music
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pop — soda
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to click

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