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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. club — a group
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. club — for dancing
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. clip — for paper
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — a series
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — hasty
  14. foot — a measure
  15. charge — a price
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. track — a song
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. club — for golf
  20. bank — of a river
  21. charge — in control
  22. clip — a video
  23. clip — to cut
  24. foot — the bottom

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