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

Word bank: rock · craft · clip · bank · bound · hide · rest · nail

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bank — of a river
  5. clip — a video
  6. bound — certain
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bound — obliged
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rock — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bound — tied together
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — boats
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rest — a break
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. clip — to cut
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rock — a stone

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