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 124 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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. bank — for money
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. last — finally
  6. prune — to trim
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. prune — to trim
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. clip — for paper
  14. last — to go on
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. last — final
  19. vault — a safe
  20. clip — a video
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bank — for money
  23. spell — magic
  24. cabinet — ministers

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