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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pop — to visit
  3. staff — employees
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pop — music
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wake — a trail
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bank — for money
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bank — for money
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. staff — employees
  22. pop — soda
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. clip — a video

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