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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. clip — to cut
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. clip — for paper
  8. bank — for money
  9. clip — a video
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. cue — a signal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pit — in a race
  16. branch — a division
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cue — a hint
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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