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: clip · safe · tube · spell · fan · roll · bank · cap

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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. roll — a list
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bank — for money
  5. clip — to cut
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tube — a container
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — a lid
  14. spell — letters
  15. tube — the underground
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. clip — for paper
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. spell — magic
  22. bank — of a river
  23. clip — a video
  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