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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · hide · bay · cue · snap · branch

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — for money
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. snap — to click
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bank — of a river
  10. cue — a hint
  11. branch — a division
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. cue — for pool
  18. hide — animal skin

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