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 116 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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. bound — obliged
  3. board — a committee
  4. band — a music group
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. snap — to click
  11. bound — certain
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. band — a ring
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rock — music
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bank — for money
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. board — to get on

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