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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — tied together
  3. clip — a video
  4. season — in sport
  5. shower — rain
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. clip — for paper
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. bound — obliged
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bank — for money
  22. shower — to wash
  23. clip — to cut
  24. fan — a supporter

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