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: prune · roll · bank · land · mouse · snap · calf · track

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. track — a song
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. track — to keep track
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. track — a path
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. snap — to click
  17. land — to come down
  18. bank — of a river
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. roll — a list
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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