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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. face — part of the head
  3. file — a document
  4. clip — to cut
  5. club — a group
  6. cap — of ice
  7. file — a line of people
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. cap — a hat
  10. face — to point toward
  11. file — a tool
  12. club — for dancing
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bank — of a river
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. clip — a video
  18. club — for golf
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. clip — for paper
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. face — to confront

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