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: spell · wake · snap · arm · bank · net · kick · rest

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rest — a break
  7. snap — to click
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. spell — magic
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. kick — in football
  12. net — in sport
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spell — letters
  16. net — after costs
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. spell — a short time
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. net — for catching
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bank — for money

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