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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. suit — clothes
  3. clip — a video
  4. pit — a hole
  5. swing — in golf
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. hand — help
  8. track — a path
  9. bank — of a river
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — in cards
  13. swing — music
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rest — a break
  19. clip — to cut
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. clip — for paper
  23. pit — in a race
  24. suit — to fit

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